Top collegiate websites sites announced

ACP Pacemaker competition names 31 finalists as ‘the best of the best’

Feb. 11, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — Associated Collegiate Press has recognized 31 online news and feature sites as finalists in the Online Pacemaker competition.

The finalists will be honored and the Pacemaker winners announced during Saturday’s awards ceremony at the ACP Spring National College Media Conference,  March 6-8, 2025, in Long Beach, at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach.

Starting last year, ACP started presenting the Online Pacemaker award in the spring.

“This shift allows the sites to be reviewed in real time during the school year and for the student editors to also be recognized in real time rather than in the fall of the next school year,” associate director Gary Lundgren said.

Early in 2025, judging teams began reviewing the sites, focusing on content posted after June 17, 2024.

For this contest, news and feature websites are accepted. The websites may be produced in conjunction with a print newspaper or magazine or a stand-alone site. In addition to reviewing the overall sites, judges paid particular attention to the URLs of three content presentations suggested by editors on the contest entry form.

The judges are now visiting the sites of the Pacemaker finalists on a regular basis before selecting the Pacemakers on March 1.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” executive director Laura Widmer said. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

The 31 finalists represent 16 states. California set the pace with seven finalists, followed by Texas with four. The finalists include 27 four-year and four two-year schools.

Online sites from two-year and four-year schools competed in separate divisions. 

Within the four-year school category, websites competed against those from colleges and universities with similar enrollments.

“Today’s best online sites are platforms for rich multimedia storytelling,” Lundgren said. “Deep and diverse coverage with strong engagement and interactivity distinguish the best student-produced sites.” 

In this competition, only the online product was judged. The deadline is June 16, 2025, for Broadcast, Innovation, Magazine, Multiplatform and Newspaper/Newsmagazine Pacemaker competitions. Those finalists will be announced in September 2025 and awarded at the fall convention.

Please join us at the National College Media Conference March 6 – 8 in California. Register online.

This convention provides a unique opportunity to network with industry professionals, learn from seasoned journalists, and gain valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of media and journalism.

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Spring Pacemaker finalists
Yearbook
Online
Business

Daily Titan
California State University, Fullerton
Fullerton, California
Editor-in-chief: Emily Wilson
Adviser: Frank Russell

The Hornet
Fullerton College
Fullerton, California
Editors-in-chief: Dylan Arreola, Maria Cruz
Adviser: Jessica Langlois

The Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
Editor-in-chief: Olivia Palombo
Advisers: Tom Nelson, Kevin O’Keeffe

Golden Gate Xpress
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California
Editors-in-chief: Gabriela Calvillo Alvarez, Paula Sibulo
Advisers: Rachele Kanigel, Kim Komenich

el Don
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, California
Editor-in-chief: Staff
Advisers: Sarah Bennett, Ajay Orona, Jacqueline Schlossman

The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California
Editor-in-chief: Jeremy Wolf
Advisers: Gerard Burkhart, Sharyn Obsatz

Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Editor-in-chief: Lex Wang
Advisers: Doria Deen, Abigail Goldman

The Daily Eastern News
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois
Editor-in-chief: Gunnar Olson
Advisers: Tim Drachlis, Joe Gisondi

The Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
Editor-in-chief: Jacob Wendler
Adviser: Stacia Campbell

The Alestle
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, Illinois
Editors-in-chief: Michal Kate Castleman, Dylan Hembrough, Sam Muren
Adviser: Tammy Merrett

Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Editors-in-chief: Marissa Meador, Jacob Spudich
Advisers: Malinda Aston, Jim Rodenbush, Ruth Witmer

The Times-Delphic
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa
Editors-in-chief: Lia Reichmann, Mack Swenson
Advisers: Jeff Inman, Amy McCoy

Urban Plains
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa
Editors-in-chief: Carmon Baker, Delaney Broja
Advisers: Sandy Henry, Jeff Inman

The Sunflower
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
Editors-in-chief: Allison Campbell, Mia Hennen
Adviser: Amy DeVault

Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Editor-in-chief: Abbey Cutrer
Advisers: Ryan Craig, Bryce McNeil, David Stephenson

The Huntington News
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
Editor-in-chief: Sonel Cutler

The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Editor-in-chief: Elizabeth Nass
Advisers: Madison Echlin, Wesley Herold, Kim Margolis

The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Editors-in-chief: Dana Elobaid, Samantha Rich

The Minnesota Daily
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Editor-in-chief: Spencer White
Adviser: Charlie Weaver

The Ithacan
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York
Editor-in-chief: Lorien Tyne
Adviser: Casey Musarra

Washington Square News
New York University
New York City, New York
Editors-in-chief: Manasa Gudavalli, Yezen Saadah
Adviser: Russell Berman

The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
Editor-in-chief: Abby Spiller
Adviser: Chrissy Murray

Elon News Network
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
Editor-in-chief: Ryan Kupperman
Adviser: Kelly Furnas

The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Editor-in-chief: Laney Crawley
Adviser: Will Lingo

The Daily Emerald
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Editor-in-chief: Tristin Hoffman
Adviser: Eric Henry

The Daily Gamecock
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Editor-in-chief: Kate Robins
Advisers: Sydney Cranmer, Sarah Scarborough Berman

Baylor Lariat
Baylor University
Waco, Texas
Editor-in-chief: Julien Hajenius
Advisers: Doug Pils, Julie Reed

The Battalion
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Nicholas Gutteridge, Amy Steward
Adviser: Spencer O’Daniel

The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Editor-in-chief: Christine Vo
Adviser: Laurie Fox

The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Ireland Blouin, Katie Change, McKenzie Henningsen, Amelia Kimball
Adviser: Peter Chen

The Clarion
Madison Area Technical College
Madison, Wisconsin
Editor-in-chief: Kelly Feng
Adviser: Doug Kirchberg