Texas Managing Editors honors the top journalism across the state with its awards contest. Winners are announced throughout the annual conference, which is taking place April 19-21. Find the complete list of winners and runners-up here. 

Feature Writing

1A

First place: Sarah Walter, The Daily Skiff, TCU

Second place: Reyes Mata, El Paso Inc.

Third place: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Honorable mention: Ronald W. Erdich, Abilene Reporter-News

2A

First place: Corrie Boudreaux and Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

Second place: Priscilla Totiyapungrpasert, El Paso Matters

Third place: Tamara Diaz, The Victoria Advocate

Honorable mention: B. Scott McLendon, The Galveston Daily News

3A

First place: Alex Stuckey and Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Landing

Second place: Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune

Third place: Sarah Smith, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Céilí Doyle, Houston Landing

Feature Photography

1A

First place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Second place: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Third place: Laurie White King, Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable mention: Cosima Rangel, El Paso Inc. 

2A

First place: Stuart Villanueva, The Galveston County Daily News

Second place: Angela Piazza, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Third place: Gaby Velasquez, El Paso Times

Honorable mention: Mike Felix, The Facts

3A

First place: Shafkat Anowar, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman

Honorable mention: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman

General Column Writing

1A

First place: Greg Weatherbee Lufkin Daily News

Second place: Steve Showalter, Baytown Sun

Third place: Gary Stallard, Lufkin Daily News

2A

First place: Jack Stallard, Longview News-Journal

Second place: Robert Rivard, San Antonio Report

Third place: Patricia Benoit, Temple Daily Telegram

Honorable mention: Allison Ehrlich, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

3A

First place: Dave Lieber, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Bridget Grumet, Austin American-Statesman

Third place: Maggie Gordon, Houston Landing

Honorable mention: Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson, San Antonio Express-News

Infographics

1A

Too few entrants

2A

First place: J.B. Smith and Win Emmons, Waco Tribune-Herald

Second place: Tony Lascari: Laredo Morning Times

Third place: Jacob Sanchez, Fort Worth Report

Honorable mentions: Nacho L. Garcia Jr., El Paso Matters; Staff, Waco Tribune-Herald

3A

First place: Yuriko Schumacher, Texas Tribune

Second place: Alexandra Kanik and Eric Dexheimer, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Alexandra Kanik and Jen Rice, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Yuriko Schumacher and Alex Ford, Texas Tribune

Editorial Writing

1A

First place: Kim Smith and Laura Dennis, Odessa American

Second place: Stacy Faison, Lufkin Daily News

Third place: Hank Murphy, Greenville Herald-Banner

2A

First place: Dolph Tillotson, The Galveston County Daily News

Second place: Randy Ferguson, Longview News-Journal

Third place: Carlos A. Rodriguez, Brownsville Herald

3A

First place: Joe Holley, Houston Chronicle

Second place: Editorial Board, Dallas Morning News

Third place: Leah Binkovitz, Nick Powell, Regina Lankenau and Lisa Falkenberg, Houston Chronicle

Video

1A

Too few entrants

2A

First place: Angela Piazza, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Second place: Matthew Sgroi, Fort Worth Report

Third place: Gaby Velasquez, El Paso Times

Honorable mention: Rod Aydelotte and Win Emmons, Waco Tribune-Herald

3A

First place: Pooja Salhotra and Jinitzail Hernández, Texas Tribune

Second place: Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman

Third place: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Sara Diggins, Austin American-Statesman

Comment and Criticism

1A

First place: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel 

Second place: Victor R. Martinez, El Paso Inc.

Third place: Andrew Hodge, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

First place: Samuel Shaw, Longview News-Journal

Second place: Carl Hoover, Waco Tribune-Herald

Third place: Travis M. Whitehead, Harlingen Valley Morning Star

Honorable Mention: Richard Yáñez, El Paso Matters

3A

First place: Mark Lamster, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Matthew Odam, Austin American-Statesman

Third place: Andrew Dansby, Houston Chronicle

Sports Column Writing

1A

First place: Samuel Shaw, Baytown Sun

Second place: Steve Kaplowitz, El Paso Inc.

Third place: David Claybourn, Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable mention: Josh Havard, Lufkin Daily News; Nathan Hague, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

First place: Jack Stallard, Longview News-Journal

Second place: Brice Cherry, Waco Tribune-Herald

Third place: Tim Waits, Temple Daily Telegram

Honorable mention: Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times

3A

First place: Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman

Second place: Kevin Sherrington, The Dallas Morning News

Third place: Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Honorable mention: Jerome Solomon, Houston Chronicle

Sports photography

1A

First place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Second place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Third place: Mike Zimmerman, Lufkin Daily News

Honorable mention: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News; Mike Zimmerman and Joel Andrews, Lufkin Daily News; David Claybourn, Greenville Herald-Banner

2A

First place: Angela Piazza, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Second place: Stuart Villanueva, The Galveston County Daily News

Third place: Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

Honorable mention: Les Hassell, Longview News-Journal; Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

3A

First place: Aaron E. Martinez, Austin American-Statesman

Second place: Billy Calzada, San Antonio Express-News

Third place: Smiley N. Pool, The Dallas Morning News

Honorable mention: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle

Sports feature

1A

First place: Matt Salotti, The Daily Skiff, TCU

Second place: Nathan Hague, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Third place: David Claybourn, Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable mention: Steve Escajeda, El Paso Inc. 

2A

First place: Ken Rodriguez, San Antonio Report

Second place: Jonathan Hull, Wichita Falls Times Record News

Third place: Zach Duncan, Wichita Falls Times Records News

Honorable mention: Ken Rodriguez, San Antonio Report; Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle

3A

First place: Michael Gehlken, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News

Third place: Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News

News photography

1A

First place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Second place: Laurie White King, Greenville Herald-Banner

Third place: David Claybourn, Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable mention: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

First place: Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

Second place: Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

Third place: Delcia Lopez, The McAllen Monitor

Honorable mention: Kevin Limiti, Killeen Daily Herald

3A

First place: Sam Owens, San Antonio Express-News

Second place: Jessica Phelps, San Antonio Express-News

Third place: Ricardo B. Brazziell, Austin American-Statesman

Honorable mention: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

Deadline writing

1A

First place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Second place: Reyes Mata, El Paso Inc.

Third place: Kim Smith, Odessa American

Honorable mention: Jeff Pownall, Lufkin Daily News

2A

First place: Kyle Cotton and Leo Bertucci, The Victoria Advocate

Second place: Lauren Villagran and Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times

Third place: Madeline Oden, Killeen Daily Herald

Honorable mention: Jacob Sanchez and Marissa Greene, Fort Worth Report; Erika De Los Reyes and Michael Rodriguez, The McAllen Monitor; Matt Kyle, Waco Tribune-Herald

3A

First place: Sam González Kelly, John Wayne Ferguson, Sarah Smith, Amanda Drane, Clare Fonstein, Elizabeth Conley, Karen Warren and Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle

Second place: Emilie Eaton, San Antonio Express-News

Third place: Peggy O’Hare, San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Nicole Lopez, Amy McDaniel and Tom Johanningmeier, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Headline writing

1A

First place: Jeff Pownall, Lufkin Daily News

Second place: Felicia Frazar, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

Third place: Stacy Faison, Lufkin Daily News

Honorable mention: Cheryl Donatto, The Baytown Sun

2A

First place: Santana Gallacher, Tyler Morning Telegraph

Second place: Randy Ferguson, Longview News-Journal

Third place: Michael Morris, The Facts

Honorable mention: Randy Ray, Temple Daily Telegram

3A

First place: Sandy Guerra-Cline, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Reid Laymance, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Erik Schutz, The Dallas Morning News

Photojournalism

1A

First place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Second place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News

Third place: Lance Sanders, The Daily Skiff, TCU

Honorable mention: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

First place: Omar Ornelas, El Paso Times

Second place: Corrie Boudreaux, El Paso Matters

Third place: Chase Cofield, The Victoria Advocate

Honorable mention: Delcia Lopez, The McAllen Monitor

3A

First place: Tom Fox, The Dallas Morning News

Second place: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Jessica Phelps, San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Sam Owens, San Antonio Express-News

Business Reporting

1A

First place: Sara Sanchez and Robert Gray, El Paso Inc.

Second place: Luis Rios, El Paso Inc.

Third place: Travis Hairgrove, Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable mention: Dalondo Moultrie, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

2A

First place: Sandra Sadek, Fort Worth Report

Second place: Vic Kolenc, El Paso Times

Third place: Laura Elder, The Galveston County Daily News

3A

First place: Amanda Drane, Houston Chronicle

Second place: Jess Hardin, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Third place: Sara DiNatale, San Antonio Express-News

Specialty Reporting

1A

First place: Reyes Mata, El Paso Inc.

Second place: Felicia Frazar, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

Third place: Nicole Bradford, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Honorable mention: Josh Edwards, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

First place: Lauren Villagran, El Paso Times

Second place: Claudia Silva, El Paso Matters

Third place: Cindy Ramirez, El Paso Matters

3A

First place: Clare Amari, Houston Landing

Second place: Neena Satija, Houston Chronicle

Third place: Eric Dexheimer, Houston Chronicle

Honorable mention: Talia Richman, The Dallas Morning News; Emily Brindley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

University and College Newspapers

First place: The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University

Second place: University Press, Lamar University

Journalism is an orchestra, and we are the musicians. 

Everyone is invited to the concert on April 19-21 in Temple. It’s a moment you don’t want your newsroom to miss.

The talents we are celebrating run deep — from digital experts and sports writers to city hall watchdogs and all the journalists who make sure our pieces hit the write (Forgive the pun. We couldn’t help ourselves.) notes.

Join us Friday evening for a laid-back opening reception to get to know your colleagues from across the state. 

We have experts coming in Saturday to share their resources and knowledge on topics like politics, AI and cutting through the distractions when covering education. Yes, there will be lunch.

And the awards? Oh, there will be awards. 

Who will win Newsroom of the Year? Whose team coverage of the biggest news events of 2023 rose above the rest? Texas’ best photojournalist, opinion writer, online package of the year — the suspense is killing us.

The annual TME awards dinner is Saturday night, featuring a live and silent auction to raise money for our most important mission — paying for internships that get the next generation of young journalists into smaller-market newsrooms for real-world experience.

After industry, open government and legislative updates on Sunday,  the final, most prestigious award winners are named. 

Let’s go! 

Register for the conference here. Book your hotel room at Hilton Garden Inn Temple Medical Center (Don’t forget to mention Texas Managing Editors when you make your reservation).

We’ll see you there!

Questions? Reach out to us at texasmanagingeditors@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, here’s a peak at what you can expect:

Saturday

• Win-wins: Partnerships between newspapers and student newsrooms — Working with college student journalists to get data-driven, narrative and local news stories.
• What’s the story: Narrative investigations — How to pull off a narrative investigation, including story selection, source psychology, caring for your reporters and so much more.
• Get smart: Improving education coverage — Cutting through the noise of the culture wars to what really matters.
• Awards luncheon
• Evening reception, auction
• Dinner, TME star awards presentation
• Buster Haas scholarship and internship announcement

Sunday

• Know your rights: 2024 elections edition — Understanding reporters’ legal rights and the free legal resources available to support election coverage is essential.
• Ask a lawyer.
• Newsroom of the Year and Star of Stars Headliners Awards