FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — Ian Balint and Noah Tylutki have each received sports information awards from the MIAA for the 2025-26 school year.

Balint earned the Tom Renner Associate SID Award presented to a student assistant for outstanding service as an undergraduate, becoming just the second Albion student to win the award. Tylutki received the Robin Hartman Writing Award that honors outstanding writing in a sports information capacity. It is the seventh time an Albion sports information professional has won the award.

It also marks just the fifth time in conference history that an institution has won both awards in the same year since their inception in 2007-08.

Balint played a critical role in elevating Albion's sports information department during both live sporting events and office work in his second year on the student staff. During athletic contests, Balint inputted live statistics, performed public address announcing duties, produced live streams, operated streaming cameras and wrote postgame recaps.

Beyond game days, Ian contributed significantly during office hours through a wide variety of projects that support the history, visibility and organization of the sports information department and Albion athletics. His work included creating football and baseball record books databases, maintaining Albion Athletics Hall of Fame photos and biographies and writing student-athlete bios and game program notes.

His attention to detail and commitment to quality helped improve both internal operations and the presentation of the department immensely, especially through times of leadership transition that the department faced.

"Ian has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to the Albion sports information department through his outstanding service, leadership and professionalism," Tylutki said. "His contributions have consistently exceeded expectations and made a meaningful impact on the success of the department. Ian is always willing to serve wherever needed, approaching each responsibility with enthusiasm, integrity and excellence. He truly embodies the values this award represents and is highly deserving of this honor."

Balint's leadership extends well beyond sports information. He served as President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and was an executive board member for the Investment Club, demonstrating his commitment to leadership and campus engagement. In addition, he has balanced several roles, including work in games management, athletics laundry operations, serving as a public speaking coach and supervising intramural leagues in addition to being a four-year member of the Albion baseball team. These experiences reflect his strong work ethic, communication skills and ability to positively influence others.

Balint graduated in May with degrees in marketing management and sports communications.

Tylutki was honored for his feature titled, "Twenty-Five Years After His Death, Pete Schmidt's Multifaceted Legacy Remains," which highlights former Albion head football coach Pete Schmidt's endearing legacy a quarter century following his passing. While Schmidt's championship-winning record remains a significant part of his legacy, the interim sports information director's feature focuses on the lasting impact Schmidt had as a mentor, teacher and father figure to generations of student-athletes.

Through interviews and reflections from former players, the story highlights Schmidt's emphasis on character, leadership, academic success and service to others. Many of those he coached credit Schmidt with shaping the values and life lessons that continue to guide them in their personal and professional lives. Tylutki's feature captures the profound and lasting influence of a coach whose legacy extends far beyond wins and losses.

The story was also recognized recently by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) as the District 4 College Division winner in the historical feature category of the Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest. Two of Tylutki's features have been recognized as district winners, while three stories from his time at Bowling Green were chosen as district runner-up in the contest.

Tylutki arrived in Albion after a one-year stint as BGSU's strategic communications coordinator during the 2024-25 academic year. Prior to Bowling Green, he spent the 2023 season as a public relations intern with the Baltimore Ravens and served as an undergraduate and graduate assistant in the sports information department at his alma mater, John Carroll University.

In 2021, Tylutki was named an inaugural co-recipient of the Ohio Athletic Conference's Chris Wenzler Award given to an outstanding sports information student assistant for their dedication to their institution and the conference.

The Tom Renner Associate SID Award is named in honor of the longtime Hope College publicist and current MIAA historian, while the Robin Hartman Writing Award honors the former sports information director at Albion who served from 1987-01. He was inducted into the Albion Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001 and worked as the prep stats editor for the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel before his passing in 2006 at the age of 52.
 
MIAA Tom Renner Associate SID Award winners from Albion
2023-24: Jenna Schienke
2025-26: Ian Balint
 
MIAA Robin Hartman Writing Award winners from Albion
2011-12: Zach Dirlam
2012-13: Bobby Lee
2013-14: Bobby Lee
2020-21: Marissa Smego
2021-22: Marissa Smego
2023-24: Marissa Smego
2025-26: Noah Tylutki