ATLANTA, Ga. (June 29, 2026) – The Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) is proud to announce that Leilah Lewinson, Coordinator for Athletic Communications, has been selected as the recipient of the Spring 2026 NCAA/D3SIDA Recognition Award for Outstanding Storytelling.
"I am honored and grateful to have been selected for this CSC award," said Lewinson. "Life After Sports has always been a topic I am passionate about, and I am excited for the opportunity to continue learning how to better support student-athletes as they navigate life beyond their final whistle. While the game may end, the lessons, relationships, and impact they leave behind last a lifetime."
The
NCAA Division III and D3SIDA Recognition Award is a partnership between NCAA Division III governance staff and D3SIDA that recognizes outstanding work by athletic communications professionals who effectively portray the Division III identity and student-athlete experience. The award honors exceptional storytelling through feature articles, news releases, videos, blogs, and other content produced by Division III institutions and conference offices nationwide.
Lewinson was recognized for her "Next Chapter Friday Feature" series, a year-long storytelling initiative that highlighted former CCS student-athletes as they transitioned from competition to careers, graduate school, service opportunities, and other pursuits beyond athletics. Working closely with the conference's Campus Ambassadors Program, Lewinson coordinated stories from across the league that showcased how Division III athletics prepares student-athletes for success long after their final competition.
Selected from a competitive national field of submissions across NCAA Division III, Lewinson's work captured the essence of the Division III experience by illustrating the lasting impact of athletics on personal and professional development.
A former tennis student-athlete at Agnes Scott College, Lewinson brought a unique perspective to the series,
drawing from her own experience navigating the transition from student-athlete to young professional.
"Watching Leilah grow from a student-athlete on the tennis court to an administrator serving our conference has been incredibly rewarding," said CCS Associate Commissioner and Senior Woman Administrator Tyler Williams-Bell. "The transition from competition to a professional career is not always easy, but Leilah used her own experience to create a platform that empowered others to share their stories. She did an outstanding job working with our Campus Ambassadors across the conference to identify and highlight former student-athletes who were navigating many of the same questions and opportunities she was experiencing herself. Her ability to connect with people, tell authentic stories, and showcase the value of the Division III experience makes this recognition incredibly well deserved. We are proud of the impact she has made on our conference and the example she continues to set for current and future student-athletes."
Lewinson becomes the first former CCS student-athlete to receive the NCAA/D3SIDA Recognition Award. She also joins a growing list of nationally recognized communicators within the conference, including the athletic communications staff at Piedmont University, who were named
D3SIDA Region 6 Communicators of the Year in 2025.
The "Next Chapter Friday Feature" series reflects the conference's ongoing commitment to celebrating the lifelong impact of Division III athletics and sharing the stories of student-athletes who continue to lead and serve in their communities after graduation.
Check out her "Next Chapter Friday Feature" series below.
Next Chapter Friday Feature (by School)
Agnes Scott College
Asbury University
Belhaven University
Covenant College
Huntingdon College
LaGrange College
Maryville College
Piedmont University
These features were created in coordination with our CCS Campus Ambassadors Program and with our intern Marlee Pettit. We'd also like to thank the following campus ambassadors for contributing to this series:
- Ellie Settle, Agnes Scott
- Bryn Greenwood, Agnes Scott
- Braden Vincent, Asbury
- Juleigh Anne Tucker, Asbury
- Courtney Adams, Belhaven
- Myisha Turner, Belhaven
- Pierce Smith, Covenant
- Jake Schock, Covenant
- Charity Shaw, Huntingdon
- Destin Roberts, Huntingdon
- Dylan DePriest, LaGrange
- Katelyn Minnihan, LaGrange
- Dakota Vaiese, Maryville
- Charla Young, Maryville
- Aliyana Feuerstein, Piedmont
- Charles Parnell, Piedmont
ABOUT THE COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE OF THE SOUTH (CCS)
The CCS is an NCAA Division III athletic conference that began play during the 2022-23 academic year. The conference features nine member institutions (Agnes Scott College, Asbury University, Belhaven University, Covenant College, Huntingdon College, LaGrange College, Maryville College, Piedmont University, and Wesleyan College) and sponsors championships across 14 sports. In addition to sharing the member institutions' geographic identity, the name 'Collegiate Conference of the South' is indicative of a shared commitment to academic excellence, which is commensurate with the NCAA Division III philosophy.