East Texas Baptist University Athletics

FEATURED ARTICLES | SPEAKER
CoSIDA 360 Feature | March 2022
Opendorse | May 2021
CoSIDA Member Profile | November 2017
CoSIDA Article | February 2015
CadChica Sports Interview | January 2015
Q1 Sports Forum Article | December 2014
FCA Sharing the Victory Article | April 2011

CONVENTIONS | SPECIAL SPEAKERS
CoSIDA 2022 - speaker (Educational Lounge - how to build up a student workers)
CoSIDA 2019 - moderator (Social/Digital Game Day Roles) - CoSIDA/NACMA Session
CoSIDA 2018 - speaker (Social Media Planning/Help/Saying No)
CoSIDA 2017 - speaker (Social Media on a Budget) - CoSIDA/NACMA Session
CoSIDA 2016 - D3Day 2016 Speaker (Social Media Ideas/Planning)
Q1 Productions Sports Fan Engagement Conference 2015 - Small School Speaker (Social Media/Sponsorships)

CONFERENCE SID OF THE YEAR | AWARDS
CSC Fred Stabley, Jr. Writing Contest Winner | Regional Runner-Up (2023)
CSC Publications Award - Best Baseball Cover (2022)
Opendorse Non-Power 5 Rookie of the Year Award - ETBU Athletics
American Southwest Conference (3) |  2013-14; 2019-20; 2022-23
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference | 2011-12

COMMITTEES
Mobberly Baptist Deacon (2019-current)
NCBWA Player of the Week (2022, 2023)
Marshall Fine Arts Council (June 2022-current)
CSC Planning (2018-current)
CSC New Media (2017-18)
CSC Goodwill/Wellness (2014-17)
Judson University Hall of Fame (2007-12)
FUMC Creative Arts/Leadership (2006-07)
NAIA-SIDA National Convention (2011-12)
NAIA National Player of the Week (2008-12)
NAIA Academic All-American (2009-12)
NCCAA Representative for Judson (2012)
NAIA Champions of Character Representative (2009-12)

Entering his 12th year at East Texas Baptist University in 2023-24, Adam P. Ledyard was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Communications in 2016 and has served the athletic communications industry for 22 years.  He has been able to work at the NCAA Division II, III, and NAIA levels along with working two major NCAA Division I bowl games (Forida Citrus Bowl, Independence Bowl).

In 11 years (2012-2023), Ledyard has helped to expand the ETBU brand and corporate sponsorships in Marshall, Texas, along with improving the communications area in athletics. He has produced one of the top NCAA Division III social media networks that is the best in Texas for NCAA Division III. He also helped re-brand the ETBU awards banquet in 2017 becoming The Toby Awards which is a red carpet event. In 11 years, he has been able to raise over $120,000 in sponsorships along with building relationships with local business' averaging $12,000 a year in corporate sponsorships. He is also a pioneer in finding new ways to promote ETBU athletics and is one of the first small schools to use Opendorse to promote student-athletes on social media. 

He has re-built the media relationships with the Shreveport, La., and Tyler, Texas, television stations and the Marshall, Texas, media in the Marshall News Messenger and KMHT Radio.  He overlooks the production the ETBU Sports Moment, ETBU SportsNet, video highlights and recaps, and other items for the local televisions. With his radio background, he has also done play-by-play for ETBU football, baseball, and softball and hosted the weekly coaches show on the ETBUSportsNet.

He and his staff was named the American Southwest Conference "Sports Information Staff of the Year" for a third time in his career in 2022-23 also given the award in 2019-20 and 2013-14. In the 2022-23 athletic year, the CSC awarded him a Fred Stabley, Jr. Writing Award as runner-up in his region for his story on E.J. Burgess and ETBU Football. The 2021-22 athletic year brought two major CoSIDA Publications award for his department being awarded the "Best in the Nation" spring cover for game programs and "Third in the Nation" for the baseball spring game program. 

AT JUDSON UNIVERSITY (2007-12)

Prior to ETBU, Ledyard spent five years at Judson University (2007-2012), a private Christian university in the Chicagoland area, leaving in August 2012 as the associate director of athletics.  In those five years, he promoted a department that started with eight sports and finished with 18 when he left.  He started the JUSE (Judson University Sports Extra) Network, the JUISY (Judson University Inspirational Stars of the Year) Awards, and set up live video and broadcasting for basketball and baseball and softball.  He also earned four NAIA-SIDA awards in this time for with three for his website work and one for his fall media guide. 

He started social media for the athletic department creating their Facebook and Twitter accounts which were the first in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.  He was one of the first in the Chicagoland area and NAIA to have live in-game twitter updates along with interviews after the games posted on YouTube.  In 2011-12 he was named the CCAC “Sports Information Director of the Year” and also served as the CCAC’s sports information director from 2010-12.  Just before leaving Judson, he was voted onto the NAIA-SIDA board as a committee member at the 2012 NAIA-SIDA convention in St. Louis, Mo.

Other duties he held at Judson during his five years were assistant chapel director, Fellowship of Christian Athletes advisor, Church-University Cooperative coordinator, Camp Day Coordinator, Athletic Community Service Coordinator, and athletic missions trip coordinator. 

OTHER ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS WORK

Ledyard began his athletic communications career at Olivet Nazarene University as a student assistant for the football team.  He had the chance to travel with the team through the 1998 NAIA playoffs and to the national championship game in Tennessee.  He received an internship in 1999-2000 under Dean Hybl at Rollins College where he learned the tricks of the trade of the business.  From there he took his first job at McMurry University (2000-2002) in Abilene, Texas, as the assistant sports information director and was promoted to the head sports information director after a year in 2001 at the age of 24. He spent two years in Abilene, Texas, before moving out of the business for a year to work for a non-profit in Ohio.

After a year in the non-profit business working for a hospital in Ohio (2003), Ledyard became the sports information director at Southwest Baptist University (2003-2006) in Bolivar, Mo.  After three years at the NCAA Division II program, he moved back to Illinois to work for the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake (2006-07) as the director of communications.  Missing athletics, he transitioned back to athletic communications in 2007-08 at Judson University.

In all four stops at Rollins, McMurry, Southwest Baptist, and Judson, Ledyard has redesigned each athletic website implementing new ideas.  He has won three website awards from NAIA-SIDA and implemented video at SBU, Judson, and ETBU. 

He has been able to work in several media markets including Orlando, Fla., Chicago, Ill., Abilene, Texas, and Springfield, Mo.  He built relationships in all those markets receiving coverage for each school on the television stations and local newspapers including an article in the Chicago Tribune, CBS Sports Online, and Vice Sports. 

In 2000, Ledyard had the chance to work OurHouse.com Florida Citrus Bowl (now the Capital One Bowl) during bowl week.  He was the liaison for the University of Florida football team, help set up for media day, and was on the Florida sidelines during the game. He has also worked the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., as the game day social media coordinator in 2014.

In his 18 years of promoting student athletes, he has had the chance of promoting several NCAA All-Americans, a NCAA national player of the year, several CoSIDA academic All-Americans, and all-conference players.  He has been able to help with NCAA and NAIA National Tournaments along with hosting conference tournament games.  Several athletes have also received awards for the first-time ever for their university through the promotion by Ledyard.

Ledyard graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in 1999 with a degree in communications (general speech and broadcasting).  In December 2018, he earned a Master's of Business Administration from East Texas Baptist University. He has been married to Theanna (Truesdale) for 18 years and they have four sons Samson (14), Ezekiel (12), Daniel Cooper (9), and Titus (7).  Theanna is a former collegiate volleyball player at Evangel University.

Tournaments Hosted/Worked

• American Southwest Conference Baseball Championship Tournament (host) - '23
• American Southwest Conference Baseball Gold Division Tournament (host) - '22
• American Southwest Conference Baseball Blue Division Tournament (host) - '22
• American Southwest Conference Baseball Red Division Tournament (host) - '16, '17, '21
• American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Tournament (host) - '14-'15
• American Southwest Conference Women's Basketball Tournament (host) - '22
• NCAA Division III National Championship Softball Tournament Host - '23
• NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Regional Baseball Tournament (host) - '23
• NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Super Regional Tournament (host) - '23
• NCAA Division III Marshall, Texas Regional Softball Tournament (host) - '17, '19, '21, '22, '23
• NCAA Division III First/Second Rounds Men's Basketball (host) - '14-'15
• NCAA Division III Softball Super Regional (host) - '14
• NCAA Division III First/Second Rounds; Sweet 16/Elite 8 Women's Basketball - '18
• NCAA Division III Softball Super Regional - '17
• NCAA Division III Sweet 16/Elite Eight Men's Basketball - '14-'15
• NCAA Division III Softball World Series - '14
• NCAA Division III Softball Regional Tournament – ‘13, '14, '15, '16, '18, '19, '21, '22
• NAIA Baseball Opening Round - ‘12
• NAIA Women’s Soccer Opening Round – ‘11
• NAIA Men’s Basketball – ‘08, ‘10
• NAIA Men’s Soccer – ‘07, ‘08
• NAIA Men’s/Women’s Cross Country – ‘08, ‘09, ‘11
• NAIA Men’s/Women’s Track and Field - ‘11, ‘12
• NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer – ‘04
• NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball – ‘06
• NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis – ‘04, ‘05, ‘06
• NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball – ‘01
• NCAA Division III Women’s Track and Field – ‘01, ‘02
• NAIA National Football Championship – ‘98

Players Receiving Awards for the First Time for their Program with Ledyard's Promotion

ETBU

• Ashley Croft, '23 D3 Commissioner's Association Region 10 Player of the Year
• Jake Miller, '23 ASC Man of the Year
• Taylor Singleton - '22 ASC Woman of the Year
• Chisom Bright-Osigwe - '22 ASC Women's T&F Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Raegan Kappler - '21 ASC Women's Soccer Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Hank Crain - '21 ASC Men's Golf Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Kayla Casey - '16 ASC Women's Tennis Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Kate Bramlett - ‘17 CoSIDA Academic All-American 3rd Team (women's tennis)
• Shelby Taylor-Spencer - '17 ASC Women's Cross Country Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Conner Combs - ‘16 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, CoSIDA Academic All-American 1st Team; '16 ASC Athlete of the Year
• Erby Thompson - '15 ASC Men's Basketball Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Landon Price - '14 ASC Men's Cross Country Distinguished Scholar-Athlete; '15 ASC Men's T&F Distinguished Scholar-Athlete
• Lya Swaner - '13 NCAA Woman of the Year Top 9

McMURRY UNIVERSITY

• Brad Parris - ‘01 CoSIDA Academic Athlete of the Year

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST

• Vanessa Toll - ‘04 NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer All-American

JUDSON UNIVERSITY

• Dewayne Robinson - ‘08 CCAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
• Christina Thornton - ‘07 CCAC Women’s Soccer Player of the Year
• Nicole Dimiceli - ‘11 CoSIDA Academic All-American (softball); ‘11 NAIA All-American
• Corey Burke - ‘12 NCCAA Game Plan 4 Life Award (top NCCAA athlete); ‘11 NCCAA Kyle Rote, Jr. Award (top NCCAA men’s soccer award); ‘11 NAIA A.O. Duer Award Winner (top junior athlete); ‘11 CoSIDA Academic All-American 1st Team (men’s soccer)
• Caleb Sutton - ‘11 NCCAA Wheeler Award Winner (top NCCAA track award)
• Sara Hoffman, Tatum Teevans - ‘11 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (women’s soccer)
• Sara Hoffman - NAIA National Women’s Soccer Player of the Week ‘10, ‘11
• Stephanie Belokon - ‘11 NAIA/Red Cross Leadership Summit Selection
• T.J. Swank - ‘12 CoSIDA Academic All-American 1st Team

Players Receiving Top Awards/Signing Professional Contracts
ETBU
Professional Contracts

• Casey Combs - MLB Draft (Miami Marlins) - 2019, 27th round (801 pick)
• C.J. Johnson - NFL Free Agent Contract (Green Bay Packers) - 2018
• Tyler Bates - MLB Draft (Los Angeles Angels) - 2016, 38th round (1,146 pick)
• Jamaine Sherman - NFL Free Agent Contract (St. Louis Rams) - 2014

• Jake Miller - 2023 ASC Man of the Year
• Ashley Croft - 2023 ASC Woman of the Year
• Sayers Collins - 2023 ASC Male Athlete of the Year, SABR MetroPlex Player of the Year
• Tristen Maddox - 2023 ASC Female Athlete of the Year
• Taylor Singleton - 2022 ASC Woman of the Year
• Casey Combs - 2019 ASC Athlete of the Year
• Conner Combs - 2016 ASC Athlete of the Year
• Conner Combs - 2016, 2017 CSC NCAA Division III Baseball Academic Player of the Year, SABR MetroPlex Player of the Year
• Jayme Perez - 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year Top 9
• Lya Swaner - 2013 NCAA Woman of the Year Top 9

• Ryan Hanigan - MLB Player (Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox)
• Justin Sherrod - Minor League Player (AAA) - Boston Red Sox
• Kevin Davidson - Minor League Player (AAA) - Houston Astros
• Mark O’Sullivan - Minor League Player (AA) - Los Angeles Angels

Major Awards

• Tony Amato (former NCAA Division I women's soccer coach) - ‘99 SSC Men’s Soccer Player of the Year

McMURRY UNIVERSITY
Major Awards

• Brad Parris - ‘01 CSC Academic Athlete of the Year
• Talitha Belcher - '01 ASC Athlete of the Year
• Barbara Crousen - ‘01 NCAA Division III National Women’s T&F Coach of the Year
• Darcell Edwards - ‘01 NCAA Division III National Champion - triple jump

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
Professional Contracts

• Dustin Childress - Minor League Player (N.Y. Mets - MLB) - 2005 undrafted free agent
• L.V. Hill - NFL Free Agent Contract  (Jacksonville Jaguars) - 2005

Major Awards

• Mark Eori - ‘04 CSC Academic All-American 1st Team
• Dante Cipulli - ‘05 NCAA Division II National Men’s Tennis Singles Champion; ‘05 NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis National Player of the Year; ‘04, ‘05 MIAA Men’s Tennis Player of the Year
• Sheldon Pace - ‘06 MIAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year; ‘06 Bob Cousy Point Guard Award (runner-up); ‘06 MIAA Tournament MVP
• Amber Wheeler - ‘04 MIAA Women’s Basketball Player of the Year

JUDSON UNIVERSITY
Professional Contracts

• Mike Tobie - MLS Unsigned Free Agent (San Jose Earthquakes - MLS) - 2012

Major Awards

• Steven Moldenhauer - ‘08 CCAC Men’s Soccer Player of the Year; ‘08 NCCAA Kyle Rote, Jr. Award
• Caleb Sutton - ‘11 NCCAA Wheeler Award Winner (top NCCAA track award); 12 NAIA All-American T&F
• Dewayne Robinson - ‘08 CCAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
• Christina Thornton - ‘07 CCAC Women’s Soccer Player of the Year
• Nicole Dimiceli - ‘11 CoSIDA Academic All-American (softball); ‘11 NAIA All-American
• Corey Burke - ‘12 NCCAA Game Plan 4 Life Award (top NCCAA athlete); ‘11 NCCAA Kyle Rote, Jr. Award (top NCCAA men’s soccer award); ‘11 NAIA A.O. Duer Award Winner (top junior athlete); ‘11 CoSIDA Academic All-American 1st Team (men’s soccer)
• Sara Hoffman, Tatum Teevans - ‘11 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (women’s soccer)
• Sara Hoffman - NAIA National Women’s Soccer Player of the Week ‘10, ‘11
• Stephanie Belokon - ‘11 NAIA/Red Cross Leadership Summit Selection
• T.J. Swank - ‘12 CoSIDA Academic All-American 1st Team