DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – In his first season as an Assistant Director of Athletics Communications, Calan Gizelbach has been named a finalist in the 2025-26 College Sports Communicators Creative and Design Contest. Gizelbach's portfolio is a finalist in the Designer of the Year contest, placing him within the top 11 of the 55 total entries in the College Division.

"Super excited for Calan and the recognition he has received as a Designer of the Year Finalist," Director of Athletics Communications Clayton Barefield said. "Calan has put a tremendous amount of effort in elevating the ERAU Athletics brand and has been phenomenal in supporting and promoting our amazing student athletes. We're blessed to have him in Daytona Beach."

Gizelbach is responsible for the daily coverage and support for several programs at Embry-Riddle as well as provides creative direction for the ERAU Athletics Communications Department through social media content, special projects, facility enhancements, and much more.

"Calan has been a game changer for our program," Head Coach of Track & Field Mike Rosolino said. "Our athletes rave about the work Calan has put into making our program look great. Calan's efforts have greatly improved the morale of our student-athletes throughout the season and creates excitement about performances at meets."

"His creative content has helped our program gain exposure through viral posts, expand our reach with new followers, and generate increased engagement with alumni and the community," Rosolino added. "His work ethic, attention to detail, and his understanding of our sport and student-athletes is unparalleled. It has been a true joy to work with him, and our program is truly better because of Calan."

Winners of the contest will be announced during the Special Awards Luncheon at CSC Unite 2026 in June at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas.

The number of finalists for each contest is determined by the number of entries in each category, and all finalists represent the number of places that will be recognized for each category. For the College Division, "Best Of" honors will be bestowed upon the top finishers from each subdivision also based on the number of entries received.

Full contest results for all categories will be published following the conclusion of the Special Awards Luncheon on June 10.