PUEBLO, Colo. - For years, Ashlyn Drury stood behind the camera helping tell the stories of CSU Pueblo student-athletes. Today, it's her own story that is being celebrated on the national stage.
The 2025 CSU Pueblo graduate and former ThunderWolves cheerleader was crowned Miss Collegiate America 2026 on July 2 at the Robinson Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, fulfilling a dream six years in the making. Along with the national title, Drury received a prize package valued at more than $110,000, highlighted by a brand-new Ford Bronco Sport, a $10,000 scholarship to the school of her choice, international travel, professional development opportunities and numerous additional awards through the Miss Collegiate America organization.
"It feels so surreal to say that," Drury said following her crowning. "For the past six years, my love for this system has continued to grow. From the sisterhood, to the directors, the support, and the overall experience is what has brought me back year after year. Six years, one system, and my dreams finally came true."
Drury graduated from CSU Pueblo in 2025 with a bachelor's degree in Media and Entertainment, where she combined her passion for sports and storytelling throughout her collegiate career. As both a member of the ThunderWolves cheerleading program and the Athletics Creative Media team, she played an integral role in showcasing the accomplishments of CSU Pueblo student-athletes.
Whether she was photographing competitions, creating graphics, producing digital content, appearing on camera or helping tell the stories of ThunderWolf Athletics through creative media, Drury's work helped bring CSU Pueblo's student-athletes and programs to life across multiple platforms. While cheering on the sidelines, she also experienced firsthand the passion, pride and family atmosphere that define ThunderWolf Athletics.
Sports media has always been Drury's ultimate career goal. Following graduation, she relocated to the Denver metro area to continue pursuing opportunities in the industry while expanding her professional portfolio and personal brand.
Her work has already taken her to some of the biggest stages in sports, creating content for Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NCAA athletics, professional gymnastics, hockey and numerous other sporting events. Through photography, videography, graphic design and on-camera storytelling, Drury continues to establish herself as a rising professional in the sports media industry.
Despite building an impressive résumé behind the camera, Drury never lost sight of another dream.
For six years, she returned to the Miss Collegiate America stage with one goal in mind: earning the national title.
That perseverance paid off in Little Rock.
Miss Collegiate America is a nonprofit scholarship and empowerment organization dedicated to celebrating college-bound women, current college students and graduates while promoting higher education, leadership, community service and personal development. The organization awards scholarships, career opportunities and prize packages to its national titleholders while encouraging academic excellence and servant leadership.
For Drury, the organization's commitment to education extends well beyond her national title. Through the Livingston Foundation scholarship, she will continue her academic journey with the support of a $10,000 scholarship as she pursues further education while continuing to build her career in sports media.
For Drury, however, the crown represents something far greater than a title.
"This journey is about so much more than me or having a crown on my head," Drury said. "I am thankful to have the support and love from everyone around me who made this possible."
She credited her family, mentors, coaches and countless supporters who stood beside her throughout the six-year journey, including her mother, sister and the many individuals who helped shape her confidence both on and off the stage.
The athletic communications department at CSU Pueblo, which consists of Ben Greenberg, Tyler McDonough, and Andres Madrid all noted how proud they are of Drury. "We are so happy to see Ashlyn flourish in her dreams. We all knew that one day Ashlyn would graduate and move on from Pack Athletics, and we are just so happy that we were able to be a small part of her success."
"She's going to kill it in whatever endeavor she decides to go, and we'll always have her back here at Pack Athletics."
Although she now wears a national crown, Drury's passion remains rooted in storytelling. As she embarks on a year representing the Miss Collegiate America organization, she also plans to continue pursuing her dream career in sports media while inspiring others through leadership, service and perseverance.
From cheering on the ThunderWolves and helping tell the stories of CSU Pueblo student-athletes to becoming a national titleholder herself, Drury's journey is a testament to dedication, resilience and believing that dreams are worth chasing.
For years, she told the stories of others.
Now, she has a remarkable story of her own.
