MARSHALL, Texas – Getting recognized by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) for writing, East Texas Baptist University Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Adam P. Ledyard has earned an award for a feature story in the Fred Stabley, Jr. Writing Contest. He was one of three athletic communicators to earn an award for District 6.
 
"It is an honor to earn a Fred Stabley, Jr. award of any extent," said Ledyard. "He was a legend writer in the college sports media area and athletic communications. Anyone in the college sports communications industry knows how important Stabley, Jr., was to the business."
 
Ledyard finished as the District 6 runner-up tied with Mississippi State University's Joel Coleman in the general feature/blog category. The story honored was the piece on former ETBU football player E.J. Burgess about his life and adaption by his aunt and uncle Steve and Sara Easterling. The story was also featured in ETBU's fall Hilltop Magazine edition and in the Marshall News Messenger newspaper.
 
"To be mentioned with SEC writers like Mississippi State's Coleman and Texas A&M's Thomas Dick is very humbling. When you are led to a great story, it needs to be written and I was blessed by God to be led to this one about E.J. and his family. It truly is amazing the path that God has led him on and through. I am glad I had a chance to tell a small part about his life," said Ledyard.
 
Texas A&M's feature by Thomas Dick was the District 6 winner. There are eight districts in the category and just 15 overall awards giving out in the category. District 6 had two runner-up stories, with Ledyard's included, as the other seven districts had just one runner-up. District 6 is made up of NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and JUCO schools from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
 
"I love being able to my gifts that God has given me to promote ETBU and student-athletes. All glory to God as He receives all the credit. Without Him, I would not be able to do any of this as He is the rock and foundation in my life," said Ledyard.
 
This is Ledyard's first writing award in the CSC and for ETBU. Last year, his staff earned the CSC Best Baseball Cover for the publications contest. Opendorse also recognized the ETBU athletic communications staff in 2021 with the Non-Power 5 Rookie of the Year Award  for student-athlete promotion.