For immediate release

Contacts:
Lauren Rochester, SPJ Awards Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 210, lrochester@spj.org
Abby Henkel, SPJ Communications Manager, 317-927-8000 ext. 215, ahenkel@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 9 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2011 calendar year. The Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best collegiate journalism in the U.S.

SPJ Region 9 includes Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. This year, the contest received more than 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April 14 during the Region 9 SPJ Spring Conference held at the Tivoli Student Union in Denver, Colo. First-place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging. National winners will be announced in late April.

The winners are listed below. For additional information on the Mark of Excellence awards, please contact Awards Coordinator Lauren Rochester at lrochester@spj.org.

REGION 9 WINNERS

Four-year colleges

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Bash gone bad – by Hunter Thompson, Colorado State University
• Second Place: Denver under occupation – by Jessica Wacker, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Third Place: End of the standoff – by Hunter Thompson, Colorado State University

Feature Photography
• First Place: Games fuse athletics, services – by Richard Payson, University of Utah
• Second Place: Inversion models could help predict formations – by Richard Payson, University of Utah
• Third Place: Inside Ramadan – by Mike Fabricius, Rachel Fuenzalida and Brian T. McGinn, Metropolitan State College of Denver

General News Photography
• First Place: Denver shows its pride in style – by Rachel Fuenzalida, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Second Place: High on the hill – by Michael Bettis, Colorado State University
• Third Place: A closer look at Ramadan – by Rachel Fuenzalida, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Caitlan Stem – by Hunter Thompson, Colorado State University
• Second Place: From notebook to playbook – by Hunter Thompson, Colorado State University
• Third Place: Shelter from the storm – by Chris Bunker, Brigham Young University

Sports Photography
• First Place: Apo scores touchdown!! – by Luke Hansen, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: Football: The slump continues as a depleted offense strains Ute defense – by Nathan Sweet, University of Utah
• Third Place: Softball sweeps away Regis – by Ryan Borthick, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Horizon Magazine, Colorado Mesa University
• Second Place: CSU-Pueblo TODAY, Colorado State University-Pueblo
• Third Place: College Avenue Magazine, Colorado State University

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
• Second Place: The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
• Third Place: No award*

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Metropolitan, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Blown Over – by Spencer Garn, Weber State University
• Second Place: Millner to pledge raise – by Spencer Garn, Weber State University
• Third Place: Two women groped Friday – by Lindsey Wilbur, University of Utah

Editorial Writing
• First Place: The University Journal Editorial Board, Southern Utah University
• Second Place: Jade McDowell, Brigham Young University
• Third Place: The Signpost staff, Weber State University

Feature Writing
• First Place: Graffiti: Acts of art or of vandalism – by David Knight, University of Wyoming
• Second Place: On the Rebound: Cougar student and basketball player Kaufusi fighting strong against her cancer – by Brooke Ward, Brigham Young University
• Third Place: Day Trippin': Leave holiday stress, catch North Pole Express in Heber – by Allie Jeppson, Utah State University

General Column Writing
• First Place: Kory Wood, Weber State University
• Second Place: Matt Miller, Colorado State University
• Third Place: Daniel Whitney Smith, Utah State University

General News Reporting
• First Place: U student organizes protest at Chick-fil-A – by Nic Dunn, University of Utah
• Second Place: Bash gone bad at Ram's Pointe – by Erin Udell, Colorado State University
• Third Place: No award*

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Center: Policy or politics? – by Jordyn Dahl, Colorado State University
• Second Place: Utah’s wage gap between men and women largest in nation – by Daniel Whitney Smith, Utah State University
• Third Place: Grim future for higher ed – by Allison Sylte, Colorado State University

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Daniel Laverty, Thomas Belinski and Matt Hollinshead, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Second Place: Jake Hibbard, University of Utah
• Third Place: Cris Tiller, Colorado State University

Sports Writing
• First Place: Across the pond, Aggie legends together once again – by Rhett Wilkinson, Utah State University
• Second Place: UW football player saddles up for first time – by Mike Morris, University of Wyoming
• Third Place: Football: Utes' loss breaks hearts – by Matthew (Bubba) Brown, University of Utah

Nonfiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Don't Ask, Don't Tell – by Jaime Pritchard, Colorado State University
• Second Place: Leading lady – by Jaime Pritchard, Colorado State University
• Third Place: No award*

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: SUU News (www.suunews.com), Southern Utah University
• Second Place: The Metrosphere (www.mscd.edu/~msphere), Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Third Place: The Signpost (www.wsusignpost.com), Weber State University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: Hard News Café (hardnewscafe.usu.edu), Utah State University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: JCOM prof is no-nonsense, respected, loved, sometimes ‘dreaded’ – by Shirrel Cooper, Utah State University
• Second Place: From Africa to the WNBA, Logan couple works to help Senegal – by Daniel Smith, Utah State University
• Third Place: Ten years later: Everyone remembers where they were on 9/11 – by Heidi Hansen, Utah State University

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Notebook to playbook – by Cris Tiller, Kevin Lytle and Hunter Thompson, Colorado State University
• Second Place: USU Gay-Lesbian Center regroups as longtime director departs – by Daniel Whitney Smith, Utah State University
• Third Place: College grads seek other options with fewer jobs in struggling economy – by Mandy Morgan, Utah State University

Online News Reporting
• First Place: "The Dream of Helen" dance drama – by Sarah Webber and Matthew Montgomery, Southern Utah University
• Second Place: ‘Mingi’: Lournalists bring the story of Ethiopian infanticide to USU – by Heidi Hansen, Utah State University
• Third Place: Half-naked, accepting and proud: Undie Run Utahans are not uptight – by Heidi Hansen and Cathy Morgan, Utah State University

Online Opinion and Commentary
• First Place: Stephen Worthington, Max Parker Dahl and Jakob Asplund, Utah State University
• Second Place: Ben Zaritsky, Utah State University
• Third Place:

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Injured seniors provide leadership to SUU gymnastics team – by Carter Williams, Southern Utah University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Radio In-depth Reporting
• First Place: Forgotten by technology, again – by Brian Grimmett, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Hunting for poachers – by Brian Grimmett, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Inside 'NFL Blitz' – by Colton Denning, Ryan Garbarino and Jon Lander, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: Weber State News, Weber State University
• Second Place: KRWG News22, New Mexico State University
• Third Place: The Met Report, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Television Feature Reporting
• First Place: Mock disaster make-up – by Jenne Anderson, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: Dig this – by Anna Hayes, Brigham Young University
• Third Place: High school quarterback reaches beyond his limits – by Simone VonRivenburgh, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Fishing vs. fashion – by Anna Hayes, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: Dump truck accident – by Britta Anderson, Utah State University
• Third Place: Obama talks student debt at Auraria – by staff, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: What's a Libero? – by Christine Assily, Brigham Young University
• Second Place: An oft overlooked trio – by Kevin Hall, Metropolitan State College of Denver
• Third Place: Little League Flag Football – by Stephanie Flores, New Mexico State University


Two-year and community colleges

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: Wingspan, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: The walking dead – by William Hebert, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Senate: Armed service does not count as community service – by Jessica Keller, Northwest College
• Second Place: Proposed public records rule postponed – by William Hebert, Laramie County Community College
• Third Place: No award*

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Wingspan staff, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: Mark Keierleber, Gigi Hoagland and Danny Menig, Northwest College
• Third Place: No award*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Runaway train – by Cody Tucker, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Feature Writing
• First Place: Leaving Las Vegas – by Cody Tucker, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: A mother's love for sons and agriculture benefits NWC club – by Reed T. Tobol, Northwest College
• Third Place: 'Shamrock'ing in the USA – by Cody Tucker, Laramie County Community College

General Column Writing
• First Place: William Hebert, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: Shawn Havel, Laramie County Community College
• Third Place: No award*

General News Photography
• First Place: 'Empty Bowls' help feed the hungry – by Neal Hines, Northwest College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

General News Reporting
• First Place: Pulpit of propaganda – by Cody Tucker, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: B.O.T. hears concerns on policy adherence – by Jessica Keller, Northwest College
• Third Place: College's low graduation rate misleading – by William Hebert, Laramie County Community College

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Student mothers embrace heavy load – by Deborah Cobb, Northwest College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: LCCC's master plan – by Will Hebert, Jeffrey Pallak, Susann Robbins and Katie Blaser, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Schaffer named as next college president – by Will Hebert, Jeffrey Pallak, Courtney Tray and Amy Walker, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: Follow-up morale discussion sheds more light on campus issues – by William Hebert, Laramie County Community College
• Third Place: Trustees postpone public records rule approval – by William Hebert, Laramie County Community College

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Zombies: Brains on the plains – by William Hebert, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: Lucky number seven – by Neal Hines, Northwest College
• Third Place: Veterans' Day flag – by Jeffrey Pallak, Laramie County Community College

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Cody Tucker, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Photography
• First Place: Takin' it to the mat – by Neal Hines, Northwest College
• Second Place: Blast off – by Jessie Jo Witte, Laramie County Community College
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Writing
• First Place: Runaway train – by Cody Tucker, Laramie County Community College
• Second Place: Men's soccer continues work in the off-season – by Danny Menig, Northwest College
• Third Place: No award*


* Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best in student journalism. Judges are not required to select first, second or third place winners.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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