Texas Managing Editors

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 24-26.

FEATURE WRITING

1A

1st Place: Jennifer Dean, Louis Amestoy – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Sam Shaw – The Waco Bridge

3rd Place: Sydney Jansen – The Daily Skiff, TCU

Honorable Mention: Paul Witwer – San Angelo Standard-Times

2A

1st Place: Jeff Abbott – El Paso Times

2nd Place: Ken Rodriguez – San Antonio Report

3rd Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

Honorable Mention: McKinnon Rice, Forth Worth Report; Marissa Greene, Fort Worth Report

3A

1st Place: Sarah Smith – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Yamil Berard – The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: Ana Gutierrez – Austin American-Statesman

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

1A

1st Place: Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Inc.

2nd Place: Beth Hisler – Baytown Sun

3rd Place: Meredith Seaver – Bryan-College Station Eagle

2A

1st Place: Tennyson Luhrs – New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung

2nd Place: Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News

3rd Place: Gaby Velasquez – El Paso Times

Honorable Mention: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times; Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News; Hamida Botchway – Killeen Daily Herald

3A

1st Place: Amanda McCoy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

2nd Place: Jay Janner – Austin American-Statesman

3rd Place: Jay Janner – Austin American-Statesman

Honorable Mention: Sam Owens – San Antonio Express-News

GENERAL COLUMN WRITING

1A

1st Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2nd Place: Kent Miller – Greenville Herald-Banner

3rd Place: Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

Honorable Mention: Joe Southern – Bryan-College Station Eagle

2A

1st Place: Blake Burleson – Waco Tribune-Herald

2nd Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

3rd Place: Bill Whitaker – Waco Tribune-Herald

Honorable Mention: Kevin Limiti – Killeen Daily Herald

3A

1st Place: Lisa Falkenberg – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Bud Kennedy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

3rd Place: Cary Clack – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Robert Wilonsky – The Dallas Morning News

INFOGRAPHICS

1A

1st Place: Ella Funke – The Daily Skiff, TCU

2nd Place: Lance Kingrey – Lufkin Daily News

3rd Place: Kiley Beykirch – The Daily Skiff, TCU

2A

1st Place: Win Emmons – Waco Tribune-Herald

2nd Place: Michael Rodriguez – MyRGV.com

3rd Place: Ismael M. Belkoura – Fort Worth Report

Honorable Mention: Corey Greineisen – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Matt Zdun, Jason Buch, Benjamin Wermund – San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Caroline Ghisolfi – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Leila Darwiche – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable mention: Michael Hogue – The Dallas Morning News

EDITORIAL WRITING

1A

1st Place: Louis Amestoy – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Kim Smith, Laura Dennis – Odessa American

3rd Place: Stacy Faison, Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

Honorable Mention: Kent Miller – Greenville Herald-Banner

2A

1st Place: Michael A. Smith – The Galveston County Daily News

2nd Place: Dave Miller – Killeen Daily Herald

3rd Place: Leonard Woolsey – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Cary Clack – San Antonio Express-News

2nd Place: Evan Mintz – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Bridget Grumet – Austin American-Statesman

Honorable Mention: Raj Mankad – Houston Chronicle

VIDEO

1A

1st Place: Rosanna Fraire – San Angelo Standard-Times

2nd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Colin McThorn & Caleb Gottry – The Daily Skiff, TCU; Will Lanigan, Edwin Quarles – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Angela Piazza – Corpus Christi Caller-Times

2nd Place: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times

3rd Place: Gaby Velasquez – El Paso Times

Honorable Mention: Rod Aydelotte – Win Emmons, Waco Tribune-Herald; Corey Greineisen – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Sharon Steinmann – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Michel Fortier, Annasofia Scheve, Monte Bach – San Antonio Express-News

3rd Place: Laura Duclos, Emily Foxhall – The Texas Tribune

Honorable Mention: Azul Sordo – The Dallas Morning News, Laura Duclos – The Texas Tribune

COMMENT AND CRITICISM

1A

1st Place: Joe Southern – Bryan-College Station Eagle

2nd Place: Josh Edwards – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

3rd Place: Victor R. Martinez – El Paso Inc.

Honorable Mention: Elena Mathews – Cheryl Donatto, Baytown Sun; Will Lanigan – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Pablo Villa – El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Carl Hoover – Waco Tribune-Herald

3rd Place: Alana Edgin, Mateo Rosiles – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Honorable Mention: Michael Rodriguez – MyRGV.com; Carl Hoover – Waco Tribune-Herald

3A

1st Place: Deborah Sengupta Stith – Austin American-Statesman

2nd Place: Bud Kennedy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

3rd Place: Sarah Hepola – The Dallas Morning News

Honorable Mention: Bao Ong – Houston Chronicle; Mark Lamster – The Dallas Morning News

SPORTS COLUMN WRITING

1A

1st Place: Nathan Hague – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2nd Place: Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News

3rd Place: Alex Miller – Bryan-College Station Eagle

Honorable Mention: Edwin Quarles – Lufkin Daily News

2A

1st Place: Jason Mack – Laredo Morning Times

2nd Place: Don Williams – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

3rd Place: Nathan Giese – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Honorable Mention: Tim Waits – Temple Daily Telegram

3A

1st Place: Kevin Sherrington – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Tim Cowlishaw – The Dallas Morning News

3rd Place: Cedric Golden – Austin American-Statesman

Honorable Mention: Mike Finger – San Antonio Express-News

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

1A

1st Place: Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Inc.

2nd Place: Josh Edwards – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Paul Witwer – San Angelo Standard-Times

2A

1st Place: Gaby Velasquez – El Paso Times

2nd Place: Delcia Lopez – MyRGV.com

3rd Place: Brisenia Flores – Clute, The Facts

Honorable Mention: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times; Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News; Nathan Giese – Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

3A

1st Place: Jason Fochtman – Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Sara Diggins – Austin American-Statesman

3rd Place: Jason Fochtman – Houston Chronicle

Honorable Mention: Amanda McCoy – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

SPORTS FEATURE

1A

1st Place: Jonathan Hull – Wichita Falls Times Record News

2nd Place (tie): Josh Havard – Lufkin Daily News; Drew Muller – The Daily Skiff, TCU

3rd Place: Andrew McCulloch – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Steve Escajeda – El Paso Inc.

2A

1st Place: Dennis Silva II – Clute, The Facts

2nd Place: Billy Woods – Laredo Morning Times

3rd Place: Jason Mack – Laredo Morning Times

Honorable Mention: Quinton Martinez – Corpus Christi Caller-Times; James LaCombe – The Galveston County Daily News

3A

1st Place: Emiliano Tahui Gomez – Austin American-Statesman

2nd Place: Danielle Lerner – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Shawn McFarland – The Dallas Morning News

Honorable Mention: Mike Curtis – The Dallas Morning News

NEWS PHOTOGRAPHY

1A

1st Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2nd Place: Ruben R. Ramirez – El Paso Inc.

3rd Place: Joel Andrews – Lufkin Daily News

Honorable Mention: Abilene Reporter-News, Seguin Gazette-Enterprise, Baytown Sun

2A

1st Place: Delcia Lopez – MyRGV.com

2nd Place: Marissa Greene – Fort Worth Report

3rd Place: Stuart Villanueva – The Galveston County Daily News

Honorable Mention: The Galveston County Daily News, El Paso Times, San Antonio Report

3A

1st Place: Chitose Suzuki – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Brett Coomer – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Josie Norris – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: San Antonio Express-News, Austin American-Statesman

DEADLINE WRITING

1A

1st Place: Louis Amestoy – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich, Paul Witwer, Rosanna Fraire, Trish Choate, Lynn Walker – San Angelo Standard-Times

3rd Place: Andrew Hodge – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

Honorable Mention: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2A

1st Place: Robert Moore – El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Ken Rodriguez, Diego Medel – San Antonio Report

3rd Place: Matthew Sgroi – Fort Worth Report

Honorable Mention: Michael Morris – Clute, The Facts

3A

1st Place: Staff – San Antonio Express-News, Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle

2nd Place: Keri Heath, Tony Plohetski, Andy Sevilla – Austin American-Statesman

3rd Place: Calvin Watkins, Jamie Landers, Elissa Jorgensen – The Dallas Morning News

Honorable Mention: Harriet Ramos, Emerson Clarridge, Amy McDaniel – Fort Worth Star-Telegram

HEADLINE WRITING

1A

1st Place: Stacy Faison – Lufkin Daily News

2nd Place: Dalondo Moultrie – Seguin Gazette-Enterprise

3rd Place: Kent Miller – Greenville Herald-Banner

Honorable Mention: Cheryl Donatto – Baytown Sun

2A

1st Place: Michael Morris – Clute, The Facts

2nd Place: Bob Francis – Fort Worth Report

3rd Place: Randy Ray – Temple Daily Telegram

3A

1st Place: Max Romero – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Chris Quinn – San Antonio Express-News

3rd Place: Jaundrea Clay – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Natalie Webster, JJ Velasquez – San Antonio Express-News

PHOTOJOURNALISM

1A

1st Place: Jennifer Dean – Kerr County Lead

2nd Place: Justin Hamel – The Waco Bridge

3rd Place: Meredith Seaver – Bryan-College Station Eagle

Honorable Mention: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

2A

1st Place: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times

2nd Place: Delcia Lopez – MyRGV.com

3rd Place: Omar Ornelas – El Paso Times

Honorable Mention: MyRGV.com, Corpus Christi Caller-Times

3A

1st Place (tie): Staff – Austin American-Statesman; Jason Fochtman – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Jessica Phelps – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: Tom Fox – The Dallas Morning News

BUSINESS REPORTING

1A

1st Place: Reyes Mata III – El Paso Inc.

2nd Place: Luis Rios – El Paso Inc.

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Nate Jackson – Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel

2A

1st Place: Nicole Lopez – Fort Worth Report

2nd Place: Diego Mendoza-Moyers – El Paso Matters

3rd Place: Jasper Kenzo Sundeen – San Antonio Report

Honorable Mention: Ken Rodriguez – San Antonio Report

3A

1st Place: Karoline Leonard – Austin American-Statesman

2nd Place: Claire Hao – Houston Chronicle

3rd Place: Lily O’Neill – San Antonio Express-News

Honorable Mention: The Texas Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

SPECIALTY REPORTING

1A

1st Place: Sam Shaw – The Waco Bridge

2nd Place: Reyes Mata III – El Paso Inc.

3rd Place: Ronald W. Erdrich – Abilene Reporter-News

Honorable Mention: Reyes Mata III, Steve Escajeda – El Paso Inc.

2A

1st Place: Cindy Ramirez – El Paso Matters

2nd Place: Blake Hollingsworth – Waco Tribune-Herald

3rd Place: Olivia Garrett – Corpus Christi Caller-Times

3A

1st Place: Kevin Krause – The Dallas Morning News

2nd Place: Sig Christenson – San Antonio Express-News

3rd Place: Jessica Priest – The Texas Tribune

Honorable Mention: Rebecca Schuetz – Houston Chronicle

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE NEWSPAPERS

1st Place: The Shorthorn – University of Texas at Arlington

2nd Place: The Collegian – Tarrant County College

3rd Place: University Press – Lamar University

Calling all Texas journalists! Get ready to rock the Texas Managing Editors conference, April 25-27 in San Antonio!

This isn’t just another conference — it’s a celebration of the power of journalism and the incredible talent we have in our state. Whether you’re an audience engagement guru, a sports fanatic, a city hall watchdog, or the maestro who makes sure every story sings, this event is for YOU.

Here’s a taste of the symphony of events:

Friday night

Kick back and connect with fellow journalists at our opening reception.

Saturday

Sharpen your skills with expert sessions, including

  • Countering News Avoidance
  • Name, Image, Likeness: How NIL is transforming college sports
  • Immigration: The first 100 days of the second Trump presidency

Saturday night

Get ready to celebrate! Our annual awards dinner features:

  • Networking reception
  • Recognition for outstanding team coverage, Texas’ best photojournalist, opinion writer, and online package of the year
  • A live and silent auction to support future journalists (Help us fund internships for the next generation!)

Sunday

Stay informed and inspired with

  • Essential updates on industry trends, open government and the 2025 Texas Legislature
  • A Q&A with a media law attorney
  • The grand finale: Newsroom of the Year and Star of Stars Headliners Awards

Ready to make some noise?

  • Register now: Use this form to register.
  • Book your discounted room on the Riverwalk at the Hilton Palacio del Rio for $199/night here by March 26.

Connect with us:

Let’s make this a conference to remember!

Submit convention and contest payments here.