2026 Story of the Year winners

Breaking News Story • In-Depth News Story • Feature • Story • Sports Game Story • Sports Feature Story • Editorial • Column • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting • Local Climate • Change Reporting • Ernie Pyle Human Interest Profile

Nov. 7, 2026

Associated Collegiate Press salutes the winners of its 2026 Story of the Year competition.

ACP’s Individual Awards are among the top prizes in collegiate media, and the awards are a showcase of journalistic excellence.

Winners were announced during the National College Media Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Nov. 7.

The University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication sponsors the ACP Story of the Year contest for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Reporting.

The winner receives a $500 cash award presented by the Hubbard School.

The Local Climate Change Reporting contest is in partnership with the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication.

The center develops and applies social-science insights to help society make informed decisions that will stabilize the earth’s life-sustaining climate and prevent further harm from climate change.

The first-place winner earns $500, and the second and third place winners $300 and $200 respectively. With team reporting, the cash prize is divided among the names on the entry.

The Ernie Pyle Human-Interest Profile award is in honor of the 1944 Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, and the award is sponsored by the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation and Scripps Howard.

Pyle was an extraordinary journalist who had the ability to reach out and make folks feel comfortable, as they shared both good times and tough times. For the last 10 years of his life, Pyle’s columns ran six times a week, primarily in Scripps Howard newspapers.

The first-place winner earns $2,200. The second-place winner $1,200, the third-place winner $800, the-fourth place winner $500, and the fifth-place winner $300 from the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation and Scripps Howard Foundation.

Fall 2026 awards

Fall 2026 Pacemakers

Broadcast
Innovation
Magazine
Multiplatform
Newspaper/Newsmagazine

2026 Individual Awards

Story of the Year
Reporter of the Year
Multimedia Story of the Year
Design of the Year
Photo of the Year
Cartoon of the Year
Broadcast Story of the Year

Best of Show

Individual Recognition
Staff Recognition

First Place
NU-Q Under Shelter-in-Place Order Following Iran’s Retaliatory Strikes
Summer Hu, Ruixin Zhang
Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University (IL)

Second Place
Petition Appears to Include False Information
Abbie Carroll
The Times-Delphic
Drake University (IA)

Third Place
Hellbomb Was a Riot
Kayjel Mairena
The Corsair
Santa Monica College (CA)

Fourth Place
NAACP Urges K-State to Act After Student Displayed Racial Slur
Meredith McCalmon
The Kansas State Collegian
Kansas State University

Fifth Place
RSMAS Shuttle Driver Arrested for DUI
Katie Karlson
The Miami Hurricane
University of Miami (FL)

Honorable Mention
LGBTQ Pride Center Assistant Director Fired
Matthew Burkhart
Technician
North Carolina State University

Student Influencer Starts Antisemitic Argument
Keira Faddis
The Miami Hurricane
University of Miami (FL)

Suspect Arrested on Charge of Setting Two Fires
Rosemarie Turay
The Union
El Camino College (CA)

Car Crashes Into 99 Ranch Market
Maggie Konecky, Zimo Li
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Ishan Pandhare Pleads Not Guilty to Hit-and-Run Felonies
Carly Heltzel
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

First Place
The Internal Takeover and Exploitation of Rainbow Soccer
Keya Mahajan
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Second Place
Your Ticket to Heaven Is a Transaction
Dylan Arreola, Maria Cruz, Arianna Pastrana
The Hornet
Fullerton College (CA)

Third Place
Former Ag Dean Sues for Alleged Discrimination and Retaliation
Chris Hutton, Sean Shanks
The Orion
California State University, Chico

Fourth Place
‘Fear-Based’ Leadership Looms Over Fundraising Department
Julia Roeder, Somer Sodeman
The State News
Michigan State University

Fifth Place
Former ICE Detainee Recounts Experience in Muscatine County Jail
Roxy Ekberg, Isabelle Foland
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

Honorable Mention
GU Professor on Leave Since 2023 for Sexual Harassment
Ruth Abramovitz, Aamir Jamil, Nora Toscano
The Hoya
Georgetown University (DC)

Planned GU Policy Threatens GUTS Bus Drivers’ University Benefits
Ajani Stella
The Hoya
Georgetown University (DC)

Counting Sheep
Aedan Seaver
Flux
University of Oregon

UNL Used Bad Data to Make $27.5 Million Cuts
Justin Diep
The Daily Nebraskan
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The Rise of GLP-1s and the Fall of Body Positivity
Reaghan Chen
KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion
University of Kentucky

First Place
The Last Great Race
Maya McLeroy
Ascend
University of Oregon

Second Place
Badar Khan Suri Still Believes in the American Promise
Ajani Stella, Nora Toscano
The Hoya
Georgetown University (DC)

Third Place
How Biomedical Engineering Students Push the Needle
Kimber Draughon
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Fourth Place
El Camino Alum Becomes Toy Maker for Barbie
Nikki Yunker
Warrior Life
El Camino College (CA)

Fifth Place
Understanding Food Insecurity at SU
Lily Newman
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University (NY)

Honorable Mention
Stephen Miller, Through the Memories of His Duke Classmates
Seyun Park
The Chronicle
Duke University (NC)

Community Members Reflect on 20 Years After Hurricane Katrina
Dang Le, Taylor Sansom
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington

Local Congregation Finds Its Voice Through Music
Alli Hausman
Daily Eastern News
Eastern Illinois University

The Knifemakers
Austin Graft
Ponder
Black Hills State University (SD)

You’re Taking What Class?
Zoey Giltner
Beaver’s Digest
Oregon State University

First Place
Syracuse Obliterated by No. 1 UConn in NCAA Tournament
Harris Pemberton
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Second Place
Women’s Basketball Dominates in NCAA Title Win
Willa Campion
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Third Place
Aggies’ Season Ends With Whimper
Mathias Cubillan
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

Fourth Place
Eli Stephenson’s Jaw Dropping Shot Goes Viral
Lance Roth
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky

Fifth Place
UNC Men’s Basketball’s Half Court Offense Nonexistent
Brian D’Aguanno
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Honorable Mention
Men’s Basketball Upsets Reigning Champion Yale
Valeri Guevarra, Javier St. Remy
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Oregon Football Downs USC in Top-15 Shootout
Joe Krasnowski
The Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

How Wichita State’s Smallest Guards Delivered One-Two Punch
Owen Prothro
The Sunflower
Wichita State University (KS)

Men’s Basketball’s Big East Tournament Loss
Dylan Johnson
The Villanovan
Villanova University (PA)

Houston Ends Baylor’s Season
Jackson Posey
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University (TX)

First Place
Free Rein
Miles Dwyer
Ascend
University of Oregon

Second Place
The Engineering Behind Cal Poly’s Global Roster
Dylan Allen, Ty Soria
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Third Place
How Pat Spencer’s Competitive Drive Took Him to the NBA
Dov Weinstein Elul
Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University (IL)

Fourth Place
Scrubs by Day; Hoops by Night
Payton Liggins
Daily Eastern News
Eastern Illinois University

Fifth Place
Inside ‘Hot Shot’s’ Journey to Basketball Stardom
Jackson Posey
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University (TX)

Honorable Mention
Little League Town USA
Amanda Vogt
Penn State Student Media
Pennsylvania State University

Oren Lyons’ Endless Quest to Preserve Indigenous Values
Cooper Andrews
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

UCLA, USC Men’s Volleyball Unite in Tribute to Braun Levi
Connor Dullinger
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

How Victor Glover’s Dual-Sport Career Shaped His Path to Space
Dylan Allen
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

College Loses Beloved, Eccentric Baseball Coach
Alfonso Julián Camacho
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

First Place
Grow a Spine. Reinstate Our Magazines.
Editorial Board
The Crimson White
University of Alabama

Second Place
Trustee Candidates Lack Concrete Ideas
Editorial Board
The State News
Michigan State University

Third Place
Agostini’s Departure Punishes Transparency
Editorial Board
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Fourth Place
Haynie’s Early Presence Isn’t Tenure-Defining
Editorial Board
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Fifth Place
Alter’s Termination Sets a Dangerous Precedent
Editorial Board
The University Star
Texas State University

Honorable Mention
Alert System Failed Campus Community
Alli Hausman
Daily Eastern News
Eastern Illinois University

Penn Has an AI Problem
Editorial Board
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Minor Goes Public With Alestle Criticism
Editorial Board
The Alestle
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

We Don’t Agree With TPUSA Tour Coming to Campus
Editorial Board
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University (TX)

AU Alert Cries Wolf
Editorial Board
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn University (AL)

First Place
Returning to Normal Isn’t Recovery
Muskan Mehta
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

Second Place
Where the Hell Is Lee Roberts?
Madelyn Rowley
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Third Place
Political Journalism for Dummies
Audrey Miller
Garnet & Black
University of South Carolina

Fourth Place
Deflating Grades Will Not Inflate Curiosity
Diya Choksey
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Fifth Place
UCLA Must Address Tramo-Epstein Connection With Accountability
Nick Levie
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Honorable Mention
No Better Story to Tell Than My Own
Chris Meglio
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

How Mass Media Portray Disabled Can Elevate or Damage
Alfonso Julián Camacho
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Conversion Therapy
Cara Coco
The Collegian
Tarrant County College (TX)

Gold Medals Are Nice, but Respecting Women Is Cooler
Isabella Lindsey
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky

Why I’m Not Planning My Future on a Partner
Montana Burack
Beaver’s Digest
Oregon State University

First Place
Studio 13 Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Riley Dunn, Muskan Mehta
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

Second Place
Campus Controversy Follows Students for Justice
Nicholas Merl
KVCU Radio 1190
University of Colorado Boulder

Third Place
LGBTQ Refugees Find Safety in Tijuana Sanctuary
Alfonso Julián Camacho
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Fourth Place
GU Students Confront Barriers to Reproductive Advocacy
Bridget Galibois, Opal Kendall, Saroja Ramchandren
The Hoya
Georgetown University (DC)

Fifth Place
Gloria Molina Grand Park Celebrates Día de los Muertos
Karla Cardenas-Felipe
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Honorable Mention
The Love and Legacy of Orange County’s First Interracial Marriage
Taylor Motley
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

An Outbreak of Peace
Christian Arce, Raul Ramirez
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Black Extravaganza Honors Black Culture
Leydi Cris Cobo Cordon, Chenrui Zhang
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

The Untold Tale of Queer Willpower
Essence Quigley, Clare Seymour
SCAD Connector
Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta (GA)

Remembering Iowa City’s First Barrio
Isobel Perez
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

First Place
Miles of Trail, Years of Care
Liam Hamilton
Flux
University of Oregon

Second Place
In Search of Hope
Gigi Roddick
Ascend
University of Oregon

Third Place
Analyzing Helene’s Impacts on Boone
Colin Wishneski
The Appalachian
Appalachian State University (NC)

Fourth Place
The Rain’s Got to Come
Amanda Machamer
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn University (AL)

Fifth Place
Residents Call for Attention Toward Detrimental Environmental Effects
Myra Saeed
The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
John Hopkins University (MD)

Honorable Mention
Global Warming Accelerates Multi-System Change
Erin Wunderlich
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

River Otters’ Presence Indicates Healthy Ecosystem
Arabella DiChristina
The University Star
Texas State University

The Expansion, Evolution of Zero-Emission Vehicle Policies
Jennifer Michel
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Upcycling Drought: From Waste to Water
Kyra Case, Jenna Fiscus
The Kansas State Collegian
Kansas State University

How Cal Poly Is Exploring Wildfires and Their Prevention
Lauren Jones, Max McCullough, Jonathan Sze, Lauren Yoon
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

First Place
True Americanism
Nathan Feller
Ponder
Black Hills State University (SD)

Second Place
Queen of Sea and Air
Erin Morrison
Ascend
University of Oregon

Third Place
Bulgarian Coach Was ‘En Garde’ for a New Beginning
Lauren Jones
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University (NY)

Fourth Place
Survivor Says Death Penalty Is Lynching
Alfonso Julián Camacho
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Fifth Place
The Knifemakers
Alec Butterfield, Austin Graft, Duncan Martin, Zoey Snyder
Ponder
Black Hills State University (SD)

Honorable Mention
Gabriel’s Dream Weekend With Gamecock Athletics
John Davis
The Daily Gamecock
University of South Carolina

Liberation Left Untold
Caitlin Brockenbrow
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Maahee Joshi Reclaims Stage
Angelina An
The Express
Las Positas College (CA)

The Story of Men’s Hockey at Penn
Ellie Clark, Kaia Feichtinger-Erhart
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Honor Moore on Living for Herself, Writing and Other Women
Jacqueline Lekachman
NYCity News Service
City University of New York