Trailblazers Athletics Kick off 2025-2026 Seasons with Media Day

GODFREY, Ill. – Lewis and Clark Community College brought more than 200 student-athletes together Monday, Aug. 18, for its annual Media Day event. 

A part of the Athletics department's teambuilding activities leading up to the start of the fall semester, the event is an opportunity for news media to interact with coaches and players and get previews of the teams' upcoming seasons. 

"The press-conference format is a part of the media training we do for our athletes," said Athletic Director Cody Zippmann. "Everyone on staff is in the business of building a well-rounded student athlete. We have two years to accomplish this by giving them as many opportunities as possible. It is at the core of what we believe in as Trailblazers. From media day experiences to a speaker series covering a wide range of topics, our standard as a department is to develop a student-athlete that will make an impact on society long after their years as a Trailblazer. It's what makes us different."

The athletes also have the opportunity to bond as a larger unit while sitting for individual and team portraits, participating in content creation for multimedia promotions, and signing team posters that will be distributed to local fans and businesses throughout the 2025-2026 academic year. 

"It was great to have multiple photographers there to take pictures with the team," said Sophomore Abby Kreitner of the Trailblazers women's basketball team. "It was wonderful getting to know new teammates and reconnecting with the returning players. All the photos turned out great and are already being used to promote the whole team well."

"Getting to see all teams come together and interact on the first day set the tone on day one," said Sophomore Raylin LaCava. "This is an exciting year for me, being able to play again (after an injury last year) and having a new team dynamic while learning from all the new personalities and coaches."

All Athletics events are free and open to the public. For up-to-date team information, schedules, scores and more, visit https://www.trailblazers.lc.edu/landing/index.

Additional behind-the-scenes photos from the event are available on the college's Flickr channel at www.flickr.com/lewisandclarkcc. (Direct link: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCryVJ).

Article by Laura Inlow, Manager, Marketing & Public Relations, Lewis and Clark Community College