ASHLAND – Southern Oregon University's sports information department received top national honors in the College Sports Communicators' 2025-26 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest, the CSC announced Monday.

SOU won for best event coverage in the College Division, which includes all NAIA, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and junior college departments in the country. No NAIA school had been recognized with a first-place award since 2010.

The winning entry was written by Josh McDermott, SOU's Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information. It detailed the championship round of the 2025 NAIA World Series, where the Raiders pushed through a seventh consecutive elimination game to celebrate their fourth national title.