Spokane, Wash.– Steve Flegel and Cody Wright of Whitworth University have earned the honor of being the 2025-26 recipients of the Northwest Conference Jack Sareault Award. This honor serves as a recognition from their peers and a testament to the duo's outstanding contributions and commitment to excellence in sports communication within the Northwest Conference.
This award is named in honor of Jack Sareault, who served numerous years as sports information director for the Northwest Conference. Sareault’s work was marked by essential documentation of the league's entire sports history, beginning in 1926 when the conference was founded. The award is given annually to the top athletics communications office as voted on by all the conference’s athletics communications personnel.
Steve Flegel just completed his 31st year as the Sports Information Director at Whitworth University– he began his role in 1995 after two years serving as the assistant aquatics director and also working as a correspondent for the Spokane Spokesman-Review newspaper. In his time at Whitworth, Flegel has served as the Media Coordinator for numerous NCAA Division III Championship events, including the 2000 cross country championships, football first and second round games in 2001, 2006, 2018, 2024 and 2025, volleyball regionals in 2002 and 2005, men’s soccer regionals and sectionals in 2005, and men’s basketball first and second round games from 2008 through 2011 and again in 2013 and 2016. Additionally, Flegel has served the NCAA outside of DIII, volunteering for several Division I NCAA Championships, including women’s volleyball final four (1997), women’s basketball regionals (2001), and men’s basketball first & second rounds (2003, 2007, and 2016). Flegel also worked as the Information Director of the Northwest Conference from July 1999 until December of 2011.
In addition to his work with athletics at Whitworth, Flegel served on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Advocacy Committee and CSC U Committee from 2018 through 2023. Flegel has been active in CSC since 1997 where he served on the Ethics Committee from 2005-2008 and was selected to the organization’s Board of Directors in the fall of 2011, serving a five year term. Flegel recently contributed to the NWC on a two-year rotation as chair of the NWC Sports Communicators during the academic years of 2023-24 through 2024-25.
Flegel was the initial recipient of the Jack Sareault Award in 2006, and has since received the award four times (2013, 2019, 2023 & 2026). In addition, he was also selected for the AVCA Grant Burger Media Award for the NCAA Division III West Region in 2006.
“Jack Sareault dedicated himself to promoting small college athletics in the Pacific Northwest and receiving anything with his name attached is special. To be recognized by one’s peers is the highest honor for any professional, especially in our field. I have the utmost respect for my colleagues within the Northwest Conference and so enjoy working with them every year. This year is especially gratifying to share this award with Cody Wright, who is truly talented and an up-and-coming star in this field.”
Cody Wright joined the Whitworth staff in October 2024 as the first full-time sports communications assistant at Whitworth. Wright has been instrumental in uplifting Whitworth Athletics social media accounts across Whitworth’s 22 varsity sports– expanding and enhancing the Pirate athletics media presence & student-athlete experience.
Prior to 2024, Wright served as an intern for the Whitworth sports communication office while also attending Washington State University. In this role, Wright assisted with game-day operations and social media content. Wright earned his undergraduate degree from WSU in 2022 and then went on to complete a graduate degree in Sport and Athletic Administration from Gonzaga University in 2024. While at Gonzaga, Wright spent time working in Minor League Baseball ticket sales for the Tri-City Dust Devils and Spokane Indians before returning to Whitworth.
"I am extremely honored to receive the Jack Sareault Award and be recognized by a great group of colleagues in the Northwest Conference, who I continue to learn from every day. It would not be possible without the guidance and support of Steve Flegel, the Whitworth Athletics staff, coaches, and the hard work of our outstanding student workers. I’m grateful that I get to promote the many accomplishments of the incredible student-athletes here at Whitworth."
Previous Jack Sareault Award Winners
2024-25 - Seth Orensky, Brian Hauge, and Claudia Loeber, Lewis & Clark; 2023-24 - Antonio Arredondo & Haley Downey, George Fox University; 2022-23 - Steve Flegel, Whitworth University; 2021-22 - Robert McKinney & Chris Sabato, Willamette University; 2020-21 - Kelly Bird & Avi Mehta, Linfield University;2019-20 - Ryan Goff, Lewis & Clark College;2018-19 - Steve Flegel, Whitworth University;2017-18 - Gregor Walz, Puget Sound; 2016-17 - Ryan Goff, Lewis & Clark College; 2015-16 - Casey Grogan, Pacific; 2014-15 – Kelly Bird/Katherine Brackman, Linfield; 2013-14 - Blair Cash, George Fox; 2012-13 - Steve Flegel, Whitworth; 2011-12 - Nick Dawson, Pacific Lutheran; 2010-11 - Blake Timm, Pacific; 2009-10 - Chris Thompson, Puget Sound; 2008-09 - Blair Cash, George Fox; 2007-08 - Kelly Bird, Linfield; 2006-07 - Blake Timm, Pacific; 2005-06 - Steve Flegel, Whitworth/Northwest Conference