The Big West was well represented at the 2026 College Sports Communicators Convention (CSC) annual convention, held at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. Conference office staff and campus communicators from across the league joined hundreds of collegiate athletics professionals from around the United States during four days of education, networking, leadership development, and industry recognition.
Big West attendees included Dylan Green (Cal Poly), Derek Inouchi (Hawai’i), Neal Iwamoto (Hawai’i), Andrea Ohata (UC Irvine), Delanie Gearing (UC San Diego), River Roof (UC San Diego), Eric Boose (UC Santa Barbara), Molly Donaldson (UC Santa Barbara), Nick Mathey (UC Santa Barbara), alongside incoming members from Utah Valley, Clint Burgi and Ryan Pickens.
Jessica Lantz, Kaiber Takamiya, and Quentin Rodriguez represented the conference office during the four-day trip.
The convention featured sessions on leadership, artificial intelligence in athletics communications, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), and emerging trends across collegiate sports media. Attendees also participated in networking events, committee meetings, and the annual CSC All-Star Night of Honors and Special Awards Lunch.
The Big West was especially well represented among CSC’s special award recipients during the final day of convention. UCSD’s Delanie Gearing was recognized as a member of the CSC Inclusion Fellowship Class of 2026. Nick Mathey of UCSB was honored as a member of the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2025, which recognizes emerging athletics communications professionals in strategic, creative, and digital spaces. Quentin Rodriguez from the conference office received recognition for both distinctions: CSC Inclusion Fellow and member of the CSC 30 Under 30 Class of 2025. River Roof was also one of two attendees from Division I to receive the NCAA Inclusion CSC Convention grant, an opportunity to advocate for young professionals in the community from an array of backgrounds (e.g., veterans, first-generation college students, individuals from rural, suburban, and urban areas, etc.).
About the Awards
CSC 30 Under 30
The CSC 30 Under 30 program highlights rising professionals making an impact in athletics communications through innovation, creativity, and leadership across college sports.
CSC Inclusion Fellowship
Now in its fifth year, the CSC Inclusion Fellowship is a year-long educational program designed to equip communications and creative professionals with practical strategies to advocate for inclusion and better support student-athletes, coaches, and administrators across collegiate athletics. The 2025-26 Fellowship theme, “Advocacy Through Adversity,” brought together a record 21 participants for monthly virtual programming before culminating at CSC Unite 2026, where Fellows were recognized and assisted with inclusion-focused convention programming.
Throughout the year, fellows engaged in monthly educational sessions focused on advocacy, culture-building, communication, and belonging. Participants developed personal action plans centered on amplifying underrepresented voices, fostering inclusive workplace environments, strengthening direct and compassionate communication, and using storytelling as a tool to build connection and community. The program culminated at CSC Unite 2026, where Fellows were recognized for their commitment to advancing inclusion throughout collegiate athletics.
Overall, The Big West continues to prioritize professional growth, industry leadership, and national engagement for its communications staff and campus partners by actively engaging with College Sports Communicators and the broader collegiate athletics landscape.
Held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) & Affiliates Convention, CSC Unite is part of the largest gathering of intercollegiate athletics administrators in the country. The annual event brings together thousands of professionals from across college athletics and serves as a hub for collaboration, education, and industry-wide discussion on the future of collegiate sports. NACDA represents more than 24,000 athletics administrators at over 2,300 institutions and manages 19 professional associations, including CSC.
As part of the convention's closing, The Big West held its bi-monthly Sports Information Director Check-In meeting, with Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly addressing CSC members both in person and virtually following his annual attendance at NACDA. Butterly shared insights on the evolving landscape of college athletics and highlighted the opportunities ahead for The Big West as the conference continues to position itself for success amid a rapidly changing national environment.