SEJC announces 2016 Best of the South AWARDS | Southeast Journalism Conference

[Clarksville, Tennessee] – The Southeastern Journalism Conference named Sudu Upadhyay of the University of Mississippi as 2016 College Journalist of the Year, and Austin Peay State University took home the coveted Best College Newspaper award.

The awards, chosen from 441 qualified entries from 35 universities, were announced at the SEJC’s annual convention, hosted by Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tennessee Feb. 18-22.

The complete list of winners is as follows: **

Best News Writer/ 35 entries

#10 Rebekah Barnes, Louisiana Tech University

#9 Alyssa Newton, University of South Alabama

#8 Riley Wallace, Belmont University

#7 William Hadden, Belmont University

#6 Holly Duchman, University of Louisiana – Lafayette

#5 Becca Risley, Lipscomb University

#4 Lauren Booker, Georgia State University

#3 Chelsea Pennington, Samford University

#2 Sarah Grace Taylor, Middle Tennessee State University

#1 Jonathan Capriel, University of Memphis

Best Feature Writer/ 34 submissions

#10 Tori Roper, Troy University

#9 Connor Raybon, Southeastern Louisiana University

Tied #7 Danica Smithwick, Union University

Tied #7 Brianna Langley, Lipscomb University

Tied #5 Ashley Lyons, University of Louisiana – Monroe

Tied #5 Holly Duchmann, University of Louisiana – Lafayette

Tied #3 Matthew Wolff, Georgia State University

Tied #3 Patrick Lantrip, University of Memphis

#2 Clara Turnage, University of Mississippi

#1 Joshua Cannon, University of Memphis

Best Opinion/Editorial Writer/ 27 entries

#10 Adam Quinn, Samford University

#9 Megan Boyanton, Northwestern State University

#8 Jasmine Fleming, University of North Alabama

#7 John Sadler, Louisiana Tech University

#6 Kyle Waltman, Mississippi State University

#5 Alexis Hosticka, Harding University

#4 Elena Spradlin, Austin Peay State

#3 Mitchell Oliver, Georgia State University

#2 Seth Dickerson, University of Louisiana – Lafayette

#1 Meagan White, Middle Tennessee State University

Best Arts & Entertainment Writer/27 entries

#10 Miranda Brown, Tennessee State University

#9 Natalie Franklin, University of South Alabama

#8 Rachel Brackins, Harding University

#7 Jimmy Lichtenwalter, Samford University

#6 Stephanie Schiraldi, Lipscomb

#5 Zoe McDonald, University of Mississippi

#4 Gus Carrington, University of Memphis

#3 Andrew Wadovick, Austin Peay State University

#2 Stacy Reppond, University of Louisiana – Monroe

#1 John Connor Coulston, Middle Tennessee State University

Best Sports Writer/ 33 entries

#10 Todd Dean, Tennessee State University

#9 Michael Shipma, Troy University

#8 Ben Wellham, Northwestern State

#7 Matthew Emery, Arkansas Tech University

Tied #5 Sam Chandler, Samford University

Tied #5 Katherine LeJeune, Louisiana State – Shreveport

#4 Omer Yusuf, University of Memphis

#3 Kadin Pounders, University of North Alabama

#2 Samuel Cowan, Belmont University

#1 Dylan Rubino, University of Mississippi

Best Special Event Reporter/Editor/ 16 entries

#6 Kaleb Turner, Harding University

#5 Jonathan Capriel, University of Memphis

#4 Sean Keenan, Georgia State University

#3 Ethan Steinquest, Austin Peay State

#2 Tierra Smith, Grambling State

#1 Logan Kirkland, University of Mississippi

Best Press Photographer/ 26 entries

#10 David Parks, Union University

#9 Mikalla Cotton, Union University

Tied #8 Logan Kirkland, University of Mississippi

Tied #7 Greg French, Middle Tennessee State University

Tied #4 Erin Turner, Lipscomb University

Tied #4 Hunt Mercier, University of Southern Mississippi

Tied #4 Shelby Watson, Austin Peay State

Tied #2 Courtland Wells, University of Southern Mississippi

Tied #2 Jacob Follin, Mississippi State University

#1 Andrew Hunt, Belmont University

Best News Graphic Designer/ 12 entries

#5 Taylor Bowser, Troy University (ADD)

#4 Lewis West, Austin Peay State

#3 Cina Catteau, Harding University

#2 Kali Daniel, University of North Alabama

#1 Maddie Richardson, Georgia State University

Best News-Editorial Artist/Illustrator/ 8 entries

#4 Seth Nicholson, Troy University

#3 Joey Plunk, University of Tennessee-Martin

#2 John Miller, Georgia State University

#1 Jake Thrasher, University of Mississippi

Best Newspaper Page Layout Designer/ 19 entries

#8 Nicholas Davison, Xavier University

#7 Madisen Theobald, University of Mississippi

#6 Taylor Bowden, Mississippi State University

#5 Sean McCully, Austin Peay State

#4 Caroline Carraway, University of Mississippi

#3 Emily Lasher, Georgia State University

#2 Carmen Blackwell, University of Louisiana – Monroe

#1 Shilo Cupples, University of North Alabama

Best Magazine Page Layout Designer/15 entries

Tied #6 Jared Pekenpaugh, University of Tennessee – Martin

Tied #6 Gopal Gurung, Louisiana State – Shreveport

#5 Clair Per-Lee and Rebeccal Terrell, Samford Univeristy

#4 Jordan Knox, University of South Alabama

#3 Andrew Graham, Union University

#2 Brion Eason, Florida A & M

#1 Braxton White, Florida A& M

Best Magazine Writer/ 9 submissions

#4 Ali Renckens, Union University

#3 Cady Herring, University of Mississippi

#2 Cody Sexton, Louisiana Tech University

#1 Sydney Cromwell, Samford University

Best Television Hard News Reporter/ 9 submissions

Tied #4 Ashleigh Burton, University of Tennessee – Martin

Tied #4 Haley Greathouse, Troy University

#3 Leslie Newman, Lipscomb University

#2 Breana Albizu, Georgia State University

#1 Kelly Savage, University of Mississippi

Best Radio Hard News Reporter/ 4 submissions

#2 Ashley Parmer, Tennessee State University

#1 Sydney LaFreniere, University of Tennessee – Martin

Best Television News Feature Reporter/ 13 submissions

#9 Brittany Clark, University of Mississippi

#8 Jake Jones, Mississippi State University

#7 Tierra Robinson, University of West Alabama

#6 Emily Proud, Belmont University

Tied #4 Brittany Robinson, Southeastern Louisiana University

Tied #4 Ben Goodman, Austin Peay University

#3 Tyler Wayne Smith, University of Louisiana – Monroe

#2 Alex Ro, Georgia State University

#1 Caroline Saunders, Samford University

Best Radio News Feature Reporter/ 9 submissions

#4 Morgan Burger, University of Mississippi

#3 Natalie King, University of Tennessee – Martin

#2 Riley Mueller, University of Mississippi

#1 Erin Thomas, Middle Tennessee State University

Best Radio Journalist/ 6 submissions

#3 Tori Seng, University of Tennessee – Martin

#2 Steven Gagliano, University of Mississippi

#1 David Caddell, Troy University

Best Television Journalist/ 12 entries

Tied #6 Yvonne Thomas, Samford University

Tied #6 Dominique Brogle, Southeastern Louisiana University

#5 Kristen Gautreaux, Nicholls State

Tied #3 Jamal Goss, Georgia State University

Tied #3 Browning Stubbs, University of Mississippi

#2 Ryan Renfrow, Troy University

#1 Heather Black, Mississippi State University

Best Advertising Staff Member/6 entries

#3 Danielle Shearer, Southeastern Louisiana University

#2 Kelsey Shumate, University of Mississippi

#1 Katelyn Clark, Austin Peay State

Best Journalism Research Paper

#4 Hailey Lange, Southeastern Louisiana University

#3 Hayley Taylor, University of West Alabama

#2 Anna McCollum, University of Mississippi

#1 Rachel Stanback, Samford University

College Journalist of the Year/ 18 submissions

#10 Sarah Grace Taylor, Middle Tennessee State University

#9 Danica Smithwick, Union University

#8 Erin Turner, Lipscomb University

#7 Tierra Smith, Grambling State

#6 Emily Featherston, Samford University

#5 Ciara Frisbie, Georgia State University

#4 Grishma Rimal, Troy University

#3 Holly Duchmann, University of Louisiana – Lafayette

#2 Eric Craig, Xavier University

#1 Sudu Upadhyay, University of Mississippi

Best Multimedia Journalist/ 9 submissions

Tied #3 Brianna Champion, University of West Alabama

Tied #3 Sarah Grace Taylor, Middle Tennessee State University

#2 Taylor Slifko, Austin Peay State

#1 Erin Turner, Lipscomb University

Best Public Service Journalism/ 9 submissions

#4 University of Mississippi

#3 Charles Bailey, Georgia State University

#2 Katelyn Clark, Taylor Slifko, Sarah Eskildson, Austin Peay State

#1 Cardinal & Cream, Partnership with Lane College, Union University

Best College Audio News Program/ 5 submissions

#2 University of Louisiana – Monroe

#1 University of Tennessee – Martin

Best College Video News Program/ 11 submissions

#5 Lipscomb University

Tied #3 Southeastern Louisiana University

Tied #3 Georgia State University

#2 Belmont

#1 Troy University

Best College Magazine/11 submissions

Tied #4 Georgia State University

Tied #4 University of North Alabama

Tied #4 Samford University

#3 Louisiana Tech University

#2 Florida A & M

#1 Union University

Best College Newspaper/ 23 submissions

Ranked #10 Grambling State University

#9 University of Tennessee – Martin

#8 Troy University

Tied #5 University of Southern Mississippi

Tied #5 University of North Alabama

Tied #5 Mississippi State University

#4 Middle Tennessee State University

Tied #2 Louisiana Tech University

Tied #2 Georgia State University

#1 Austin Peay State University

Best College Website/ 26 submissions

#10 University of Mississippi

#9 Louisiana Tech

#8 University of Southern Mississippi

#7 Lipscomb University

#6 Florida A & M

#5 University of Louisiana – Lafayette

#4 Belmont University

#3 Austin Peay State University

#2 Arkansas Tech University

#1 Middle Tennessee State University

Best College Radio Station #10/ 4 submissions

#2 Southeastern Louisiana University