Awarded during SEJC 2025, hosted by Mississippi State University in Oxford, Ms. on February 1, 2025.

“HM” indicates “Honorable Mention.”

Journalist of the Year
1st. Garrett Shanley – University of Florida
2nd. Emily Mosier – Troy University
3rd. Ivy Rose Ball – Mississippi State University
4th. Hannah Stanley – University of Kentucky
5th (tie). Kylia Berry – University of Tennessee
5th (tie). Shauna Reynolds- Middle Tennessee State University

Best News Writer
1st. Jacob Ritondo – University of Alabama
2nd. Lizzie Tomlin – Mississippi State University
3rd. Lia Portillo – Northwestern State University
4th. Hannah Stanley – University of Kentucky
5th (tie). Olivia Warren – Tulane University
5th (tie). Hannah Ivey – University of Mississippi

Best Feature Writer
5th. Bethany “Bee” Goodman – Tennessee Tech University
4th. Bree Fabbie – Belmont University
3rd. Shauna Reynolds – Middle Tennessee State University
2nd. Lizzie Tomlin – Mississippi State University
1st. Reaghan Chen – University of Kentucky

Best Arts & Entertainment Writer
1st. Josiah Mancha – Union University
2nd. Jane Dunn – University of Mississippi
3rd (tie). Grace Sullivan – Mississippi State University
3rd (tie). Cole Manasco – University of Alabama
4th. Lauren Ritz – University of Alabama
5th. Kris Harrell – Troy University

Op/Ed Writer
1st. Olivia Bell – Union University
2nd. Ansley Graves – University of Tennessee
3rd. Andrew White – Samford University
4th. Bre’Anna Coleman – University of Mississippi
5th. Peyton Keyes – University of Kentucky
HM. Garret Marchand – University of Alabama
HM. Bethany Collins – University of Tennessee-Martin
HM. Kathryn Clark – Troy University

Best Sports Writer
1st. Joey Dwyer – Lipscomb University
2nd. Devin Witson – University of Southern Mississippi
3rd. Amy DeGroot – Union University
4th. Cameron Larkin – University of Mississippi
5th. Brett Walker – Middle Tennessee State
HM. Cole Parke – University of Kentucky
HM. Ty Wellemeyer – Belmont University
HM. Max Tucker – University of Florida

Best Special Events Reporter
1st. Kharley Redmon – University of Mississippi
2nd. Emily Mosier – Troy University
3rd. Ivy Rose Ball – Mississippi State University
HM. Emma Love Johnston – University of Tennessee

Best Photographer
1st. Ashleigh Lucas – University of Florida
2nd. Abbey Cutrer – University of Kentucky
3rd. Sarah “Lilly” Davis – Tennessee Tech
4th. Greer Patten – Belmont University
5th. Katherine Babin – Univ. of Louisiana Monroe
HM. Benjamin Naylor – University of Memphis

Best Artist/Illustrator
1st. Susan Xiao – University of Alabama
2nd. Milo Gildea – University of Mississippi
3rd. Trenton Michon – University of Tennessee Martin
4th. Abigail Troth – University of Southern Mississippi
5th. TIE Yum I Domangue – Southeastern Louisiana University
5th. TIE Faith Orr – Union University

Best Graphic Artist/Data Journalist
1st. Audrey Palladino – Tennessee Tech
2nd. Ashleigh Jones and Faith Holley – Samford
3rd. Kate Oborina – Southeastern Louisiana University
4th. Sara Nelson and Ashleigh Jones – University of Kentucky
5th. Kate Myers – Mississippi State University

Best Newspaper Designer
1st. Juliana Nobles Pacheco and Hayley Keeler – Northwestern State University
2nd. Akhila Nadimpalli – University of Kentucky
3rd. Stephanie Huynh – University of South Alabama
4th. Nathan Rich – Tulane University
5th. Andrew White – Samford University

Best Magazine Designer
1st. Grace Watters – Samford University
2nd. Abby Kraus – Union University
3rd. Jill Horner and Michelle Daschbach – Mississippi State University
HM. Becca Pielsnik – Tennessee Tech University

Best Magazine Writer
1st. Rebekah Crozier – Samford University
2nd. Carlee Hogsten – University of Kentucky
3rd (tie). Kay Maxwell – University of Alabama
3rd (tie). Karlee Taylor – Tennessee Tech University

Best TV Hard News Reporter
1st. Bethal Miles – University of Southern Mississippi
2nd. Cody Farris – University of Mississippi
3rd. Mackenzie Foster – Troy University
4th. Kai Stone – Louisiana Christian University
5th. Cat Da Rocha – Belmont University

Best Radio News Reporter
1st. Pierce Gentry – University of Tennessee
2nd. Raylen Ladner – Mississippi State University
3rd. Chris Ahif – Troy University

Best TV Feature Reporter
1st (tie). Bryce Towle – University of Kentucky
1st (tie). Bethal Miles – University of Southern Mississippi
2nd. Aubrey Carter – Mississippi State
3rd. Cadence Moore – Belmont University
4th. Kai Stone – Louisiana Christian University
5th. Cayden Walls – Louisiana Christian University

Best Radio Feature
1st. Pierce Gentry – University of Tennessee
2nd. Taylor Howard – Mississippi State University
3rd. Ava Burns – Belmont University
4th. Hanna Brazeal – Lipscomb University
5th. Alex Martin – University of Tennessee Martin

Best Radio Journalist
1st (tie). Pierce Gentry – University of Tennessee
1st (tie). Jack Anderson – Troy University
2nd. Ava Burns – Belmont University
3rd (tie). Bethal Miles – University of Southern Mississippi
3rd (tie). Lauryn Davis – University of Tennessee Martin

Best TV Journalist
1st. Edward Smith – University of Kentucky
2nd (tie). Simon Brown – Troy University
2nd (tie). Bethal Miles – University of Southern Mississippi
3rd. Cat Da Rocha – Belmont University

Best Advertising Staffer
1st. Anica Hankey, Rebekah Brown, Makenzie Stone, and Presley White – Mississippi State University
2nd. Bryce Towle – University of Kentucky
3rd. Lola Casey – Samford University

Best Multimedia Journalist
1st. Aubrey Bocalan – University of Florida
2nd. Mic Cassidy – Mississippi State University
3rd. Samantha Money – University of Kentucky

Public Service Journalism
1st. The Election Project – University of Tennessee
2nd. Emily Mosier – Troy University
3rd. The Great Unknown Project – Mississippi State University

Best Audio Program
1st. University of Mississippi
2nd. University of Tennessee Martin
3rd. Louisiana Christian University

Video Newscast
1st. Troy University
2nd. University of Kentucky
3rd (tie). University of Tennessee
3rd (tie). Mississippi State University
4th. Southeastern Louisiana University
5th. Harding University

Best Magazine
1st. University of Kentucky
2nd. University of South Alabama
3rd. University of Alabama

Best Newspaper
1st (tie). University of Alabama
1st (tie). University of Kentucky
2nd. University of Mississippi
3rd. Troy University
4th. Harding University
5th. Tulane University

Best Website
1st. University of Southern Mississippi
2nd. University of Kentucky
3rd. Belmont University
4th. Union University
5th. University of Mississippi

Best Radio Station
1st. Mississippi State University
2nd. Lipscomb University
3rd. University of Tennessee Martin

Best TV Station
1st. University of Tennessee
2nd. Mississippi State University
3rd. Harding

Best Research Paper
1st. Bethany Leonard and Phil Landry – Nicholls State University
2nd. Alexis Baker – University of Kentucky
3rd. Mary Balzi, Jamie Briggs, Madisyn Henry and Anna Welborn – Mississippi State University