Jenny Dial Creech, an award-winning sports journalist with a deep commitment to the Association for Women in Sports Media, is the organization’s 2026 Ann Miller Service Award winner.

Established in 2013, the service award is named in honor of Ann Miller, the longtime Hawaii-based sports reporter and founding member of AWSM, who volunteered on the board for more than a decade, including serving as treasurer and board chair. The award annually recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the organization. Past winners include the late Celeste Williams, Joanne Gerstner, Lydia Craver and Jim Jenks.

Creech’s dedication to AWSM and its mission includes serving as President from 2016-2018. She then became treasurer, a position she continues in today. Most recently, she accepted the role of Board Chair to help integrate a newly elected board.

"I started attending AWSM conferences nearly two decades ago, and there is no way to truly quantify the value of what I have learned, the friendships I've built and the support I have received from this organization that is so special to me," Creech said. "As long as I am able to help, I am committed to doing my part to ensure that young women have the opportunity to have AWSM be a part of their sports media journeys, and I hope they all have as positive an experience with this group as I have.”

Creech took on the treasurer role during a particularly challenging time for AWSM, said Iliana Limón Romero, the Los Angeles Times Assistant Managing Editor for Sports and AWSM’s immediate past president.

“AWSM would not exist today if not for Jenny,” said Limón Romero. “When our traditional funding resources were slashed during the pandemic and didn't recover smoothly amid political changes, Jenny stripped out every stray expense, even if it meant more work for her as the treasurer. She continues to work to share the lessons she learned with young leaders who joined the AWSM board.”

As treasurer, Creech updated the organization's accounting system, streamlined expenses and ensured that the budget remained in the black while tirelessly fundraising.

“AWSM is a volunteer organization and it's natural to walk away after five or more years on the board,” said Limón Romero. “But Jenny has never wavered in her commitment. I receive text messages at random hours pondering potential fundraising options and new grants she researched.”

Creech spent more than two decades as a reporter and editor at the Chronicle and other publications. She has mentored dozens of high school journalism students across the country, while also teaching sports journalism at the University of Houston.

Creech and her husband Daniel, now live in Dallas with their two sons Benjamin (8) and Jonah (4.) She teaches journalism at the St. Mark's School of Texas, and serves as the president of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, where she works with journalism educators and students across the country to enhance and support journalism education. She was recently named a 2026 Columbia Scholastic Press Association National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year.

AWSM will honor Creech at an upcoming event.

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