Rising Stars Spotlights: Jaelyn Arndt & Mack Leonard
Jaelyn Arndt
Arndt began her role with the NCAA communications department in January 2022. She served as an assistant director, where she oversaw social strategy and content creation and in May of 2023, she achieved a significant milestone in her career when she was promoted to the role of Associate Director of Social at the NCAA communications department, where she now manages a talented team consisting of an Assistant Director and an intern. She is the subject matter expert on various content platforms and the point project manager for the creation and implementation of digital campaigns. Her recent achievement as a winner of the 2022 Cynopsis Sports Media Award for "Overall Social Media Excellence (Limited Run/Campaign)" showcases her outstanding contributions to the field.
Before joining the communications department, Jaelyn served as a digital media specialist for Nexus Family Healing, managing paid media budgets, digital content, and developing digital media campaigns for the organization.
Before her time at Nexus Family Healing, Arndt was a volleyball graduate assistant at Augustana University where she earned her master’s degree in Sports Administration and Leadership.
Prior to her volleyball graduate assistant position, Arndt served as a social media coordinator for Norther Lights Junior Volleyball where she was the primary photographer, created and implemented club branding and marketing strategies, and led all social activations.
Arndt, a native of Minneapolis, earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and psychology at Augsburg University where she was a volleyball student-athlete. She was a four-year varsity letter winner a Captain, and All-Conference in 2017 where her and the team went undefeated in the MIAC.
Mack Leonard
Leonard is currently finishing up her Master’s Degree at Florida State University, where she was also a student athlete. Mack transferred to Florida State her junior year from Illinois State, where she was born and raised, to challenge herself and to pursue her master’s. Life after being a student athlete has led Mack to work in the athletic department at FSU and has recently become Assistant to the Director of Operations for Women’s Basketball at Florida State. Having been a student-athlete, Mack has been able to see both sides of college athletics, providing her with new perspectives and respect for all that goes into collegiate athletics. Mack strives to be an Athletic Director at a Power Five university.