(Monday, July 20; Sioux Center, Iowa) Dordt University's Mike Byker has been named the 2025-26 Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Sports Information Director of the Year. The award is selected by the conference's sports information directors.

The 2025-26 school year was Byker's 25th at Dordt University, where he serves as director of athletic communications. Byker also received the award in 2017.

"It's a privilege to be recognized by the fellow Sports Information Directors in the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  I have the utmost respect for all of them and the work they do and enjoy working with all of them," said Byker.  "It's a privilege to be able to share our coaches', teams' and athletes' stories to Defender Nation and a broader audience. Working alongside Matt Bos, Rich Lodewyk, Isabel Pheifer and student employees in Athletic Communication and the Dordt Media Network is a joy and they are the reason why recognition like this happens."

The Dordt Athletic Communications office manages the official Instagram, Facebook and X accounts while maintaining and producing content for GoDordt.com and the official Dordt mobile app. Dordt's Instagram account currently has more than 5,500 followers, Facebook has more than 6,500 followers and X has more than 7,800 followers. GoDordt.com recorded 2.1 million users over the last 12 months, generating 2.2 million sessions and 2.5-million-page views.

"It's easy to get caught up in numbers and spreadsheets, and that data is important. But I never want the focus on those metrics to detract from our mission of using athletics as a platform to spread the gospel. Our goal is to provide timely, accurate information with substance beyond wins and losses," said Byker. "We want to connect Defender Nation while continuing to broaden our audience and reach."

The Dordt Media Network provides live video coverage for all Dordt varsity and junior varsity home events, along with neutral-site competitions hosted at the ASB Sports Complex. During the 2025-26 academic year, Dordt Media Network and Dordt Athletic Communications combined to produce more than 200 broadcasts that attracted more than 220,000 viewers across the Dordt Defender Network and the Dordt Athletics YouTube channel.

Dordt Athletic Communications also provides play-by-play coverage of home and away football, women's volleyball, women's basketball and men's basketball contests, along with select postseason competitions, in partnership with Sioux County Radio. Defender Discussions is available on most major podcast platforms and features news, interviews and updates from throughout the Dordt Athletic Department. The office is also responsible for live in-game statistics for all home contests, game previews, post-competition recaps, news releases, award nominations, photography, GoDordt.com content, relationships with external media, record book updates, archiving, and coordination with printed and broadcast sponsors.

"I'm grateful the Dordt Administration allows us the freedom to experiment with the different platforms available to us.  What we do is truly a partnership with several offices across campus from computer services, advancement, grounds & maintenance and marketing," said Byker.  "Words can't express how I feel about the individuals I get to work with on a regular basis who share a similar mission and vision."

Byker is a 1992 graduate of Dordt University with a degree in Communication, with an emphasis in Radio/TV. He served as an on-air personality, advertising sales representative and sports director at KIWA Radio in Sheldon, Iowa from 1992-2001. 

As the GPAC recipient, Byker will be the conference's nominee for the NAIA Sports Information Director Association Sports Information Director of the Year award.