2026 PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD

THE HONORABLE MARIA CANTWELL (D-WA), United States Senator, Washington

Senator Maria Cantwell has been one of the most active voices in Congress regarding the overhaul of college sports. As a leader on the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Cantwell has spearheaded a multi-front legislative effort to transform the landscape for college athletes with the primary focus of balancing massive revenue growth with athlete welfare. Key actions include the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act, which mandates ten-year scholarship guarantees and long-term medical coverage for injuries, and the Helping Undergraduate Students Thrive with Long-term Earnings (HUSTLE) Act, which regulates NIL agents. In August 2025, she sent a pivotal letter to over 350 university presidents, warning them against supporting legislation that would roll back athlete protections. Most recently, she introduced the College Sports Competitive Act of 2026, a bipartisan effort to allow conferences to pool media rights. This move aims to generate nearly $9 billion in revenue to save non-revenue and Olympic sports from being cut. Throughout these efforts, Cantwell has utilized GAO reports to expose a lack of transparency in how universities distribute their record-breaking media profits.

Senator Cantwell is deserving of the Public Service Award for her tireless advocacy in centering the rights of college athletes within a rapidly commercialized industry. Her commitment to a bipartisan approach—evidenced by her collaboration with both Democrats and Republicans—demonstrates a pragmatic dedication to seeking a durable, federal solution that ensures the long-term stability and fairness of college sports for all institutions.

THE HONORABLE MICHAEL BAUMGARTNER (R-WA), United States Representative 5th District of Washington

Representative Michael Baumgartner has distinguished his early tenure in Congress by prioritizing pragmatic, cross-aisle collaboration on the complex issue of college sports reform. By partnering with Senator Maria Cantwell on the SAFE Act, Representative Baumgartner has demonstrated a commitment to moving beyond partisan gridlock to address the immediate needs of college athletes. His leadership in the House has been instrumental in advocating for a unified federal framework that replaces the current patchwork of state laws with consistent, high-standard protections. This bipartisan alliance underscores a shared vision for a stabilized collegiate landscape where institutional transparency and athlete welfare—particularly through established medical trust funds and standardized health protocols—are guaranteed regardless of a school’s conference or zip code. In recognition of this dedication, Representative Baumgartner and Senator Cantwell are honored for their joint efforts to secure a more equitable and sustainable future for college athletes nationwide.

2026 CHANGEMAKER AWARD

CODY CAMPBELL, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Double Eagle Energy Holdings, Chairman of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents

Cody Campbell is a prominent national strategist dedicated to the structural preservation of collegiate athletics. A former NFL offensive lineman with the Indianapolis Colts and a standout athlete for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Campbell’s commitment to the intersection of higher education and sports is lifelong. As the founder of the nonprofit initiative Saving College Sports, Campbell has emerged as a pivotal figure in the national discourse on reform. At a time of unprecedented commercialization and legal shifts, he has become a leading voice for a sustainable collegiate model that protects the educational mission of universities. His advocacy specifically focuses on the financial sustainability of non-revenue and Olympic sports, which face increasing vulnerability in the current landscape.

Campbell’s leadership is defined by a commitment to modernizing federal policy. He has been instrumental in proposing updates to the Sports Broadcasting Act, aimed at creating new revenue streams to support all athletic departments. His extensive work includes testifying before Congress and serving on a presidential commission dedicated to the future of the industry. By championing a legislative framework that balances market evolution with the protection of the broad-based athletic model and college athletes, Campbell has demonstrated the extraordinary thought leadership required to earn The Drake Group Education Fund 2026 Changemaker Award.

2026 EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AWARD

DR. KEITH ADAMS, President and Founder of the CKA SAVE Project

Dr. Keith Adams is being honored with The Drake Group Education Fund Exceptional Service Award for his career-long commitment to the holistic development and academic integrity of college athletes. As the President and Founder of the CKA SAVE Project, Dr. Adams has leveraged over 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator to bridge the “resume gap” for students through the innovative CKA Virtual Internship Program. His dedication to the “100/100” approach ensures that college athletes are empowered to achieve a sustainable balance between academic excellence and athletic success. Beyond his direct mentorship, Dr. Adams’s contributions as an accomplished author, researcher, and host of the Odd Coaches Podcast have provided a vital global platform for leadership and advocacy, reflecting the core mission of The Drake Group Education Fund to protect the educational pathways of those competing in intercollegiate sports.

2026 STUDENT JOURNALISM PRIZE FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

Mia Hilkowitz, Kasey Watkins, Nathan Shriberg, and Savannah Slone

Publication: Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University

Project: Could Big Ten schools use NIL deals to circumvent salary cap? 

The Drake Group Education Fund is proud to award the Student Journalism Prize for Investigative Reporting to Mia Hilkowitz, Nathan Shriberg, Savannah Slone, and Kasey Watkins of the Indiana Daily Student. Their winning investigation, Could Big Ten schools use NIL deals to circumvent salary cap?, represents a monumental achievement in data journalism through the meticulous analysis of hundreds of third-party disclosures across the Big Ten. By exposing reporting inconsistencies that limit public oversight, the team successfully highlighted how NIL mechanisms might be utilized to bypass current and future financial regulations. The selection committee praised the project’s professional-level methodological rigor, its ability to distill complex legal and financial structures into accessible reporting, and its unwavering commitment to institutional accountability and transparency for college athletes.