LAS VEGAS – College Sports Communicators (CSC) released the results for the 2025-26 Creative & Digital Design Contest following the Special Events Luncheon at the Mandalay Bay Resort on June 10. A record 2,565 entries were submitted in this year's edition of the contest, including 1,585 in the "College Division" (non-Division I schools and conferences).
The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Director of Communications & Creative Content – Jared McFarlane – took home Photographer of the Year honors in the College Division. McFarlane is the first member of a conference office to claim the award since the accolade was introduced in 2022-23. His winning submission featured a 24-photo portfolio that included images from numerous GLVC Championships, the NCAA Division II Swimming & Diving Championships, and NCAA Division III and National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship games.
Six other individuals from three different league institutions earned recognition from CSC in the College Division for various contests. The Maryville duo of Jayden Jain and Jacob Walton, along with Drury's Hudson Harkness, claimed top-10 overall finishes with their respective submissions. Lewis' John Mastej, Drury's Josh Clark, and Maryville's Joey Bunton also garnered recognition in their respective categories.
Jain, a student worker for the Saints, placed second overall and first among DII entries in the Special Projects – Video category for his documentary on the postseason run by the men's soccer team. He also finished 18th overall (12th in DII) for Major Awards & Championship Graphics and tied for 15th in DII in the Game Day Graphics competition.
Harkness – who serves as Assistant Director of Media Relations for the Panthers – secured Drury's highest finish of the contest, placing third overall in the College Division and second among DII submissions in the Game Notes category.
Serving as Coordinator of Athletic Communications for Maryville, Walton earned a 10th-place finish in the College Division and ranked seventh among DII entries in the Major Awards & Championship Graphics category.
Mastej also garnered multiple accolades, placing 11th overall and eighth among DII entries in Special Projects – Graphics. The Lewis graduate assistant additionally secured a runner-up finish in the Best of Graduate Assistants division.
Clark placed 19th among DII entries in the Individual Awards, Milestones, & Record Graphics category.
Representing Maryville in the Best of Student Workers competition, Bunton finished ninth overall for his Photo of the Year entry.