SPJ Louisville Pro Chapter 2025 Metro Journalism Awards


Honoring work produced in 2024

Journalist of the Year

  1. Lucas Aulbach – Courier Journal
  2. Sylvia Goodman – Kentucky Public Radio
  3. Mark Vanderhoff – WLKY

Rookie of the Year

  1. Piper Hansen – Louisville Business First  
  2. Tyler O’Neill – Spectrum News
  3. Reyna Katko – WDRB

A-Mark Prize

  1. The Cost of Empire – Josh Wood, Krista Johnson, Rob Byers – Courier Journal
  2. Silence & Secrets – Stephanie Kuzydym, Rob Byers – Courier Journal
  3. N/A

Print/Online

Feature Photography

  1. Portrait of John A. Hillerich – Christopher Fryer – Louisville Business First  
  2. Super Moon Over Louisville – Michael Clevenger – Courier Journal
  3. Father Chuck Walker gets head shaved – Matt Stone – Courier Journal  

Best picture story

  1. Kentucky Derby 150 – Staff – Courier Journal  
  2. Inside Ohio Valley Wrestling – Christopher Fryer  – Louisville Business First  
  3. 150th Kentucky Derby – Chris Hughes – Spectrum News

Best video (non-broadcast) 

  1.  What do woolly worms, persimmon seeds and squirrels predict for winter weather this year? – Kirby Adams – Courier Journal
  2. “Best Thing I Ate This Week” featuring Butchertown Bakery – Amanda Hancock, Ray Padilla – Courier Journal
  3. N/A

Sports feature photography

  1. A warm embrace  – Scott Utterback  – Courier Journal
  2. Prayed for this moment: UK head coach soaks in walk-off CWS win  – Alyssa Newton – WHAS
  3. St. X defeats Trinity  – Matt Stone – Courier Journal

Continuing Coverage

  1. JCPS’ decision to cut magnet busing  – Krista Johnson – Courier Journal
  2. Amendment 2  – Hannah Pinski  – Courier Journal
  3. Before, during and after the PGA Championship  – Stephen Schmidt, Piper Hansen  –
    Louisville Business First  

Enterprise/investigative reporting

  1. The Cost of Empire – Josh Wood, Krista Johnson  – Courier Journal
  2. Silence & Secrets: an investigation into child sex abuse by Kentucky’s coaches  –
    Stephanie Kuzydym  – Courier Journal
  3. EV in Kentucky – Olivia Evans, Connor Giffin – Courier Journal

Best Kentucky Derby story

  1. Oliver Lewis won the first Kentucky Derby atop Aristides. His story doesn’t end there –
    Stephanie Kuzydym  – Courier Journal
  2. 150 years of Kentucky Derby drinking and eating: What was on the menu back in 1875? – Amanda Hancock – Courier Journal
  3. ‘The Impossible Dream’: Small budget, cancer couldn’t keep Demeritte from Kentucky Derby  – Jason Frakes – Courier Journal

Feature writing

  1. Manual students foster resilience in immigrant communities  –
    Dia Cohen, Isabella Edghill  – Manual RedEye
  2. 2024 Feature Writing  – Sarah Ladd – KY Lantern
  3. Krista Johnson feature writing  – Krista Johnson – Courier Journal

Social justice reporting

  1. Social Justice Reporting Submission – Sarah Ladd – KY Lantern
  2. Keely Doll reporting  – Keely Doll – Courier Journal
  3. Matthew Glowicki Social Justice Reporting  – Matthew Glowicki  – Courier Journal

Health reporting

  1. Maggie Menderski Health Reporting  – Maggie Menderski –  Courier Journal  
  2. Breaking the Stigma  – Sarah Ladd – KY Lantern
  3. Meet Humana’s new CEO, David Jones Jr. on investing and Confluent Health CEO strategy  –
    Joel Stinnett  – Louisville Business First

Education reporting

  1. Krista Johnson education reporting  – Krista Johnson – Courier Journal
  2. Whistleblower suit alleges waste, mismanagement, illegality in KY’s community college system – McKenna Horsley – KY Lantern
  3. JCPS board votes to end most magnet and traditional transportation despite community concerns  – Grace Fridy, Isabella Edghill, Morgan Schmidt  – Manual RedEye

Government/Politics reporting

  1. Election laws and fraud  – Lucas Aulbach – Courier Journal
  2. 2024 Government Reporting – Sarah Ladd – KY Lantern
  3. Transparency in Three Branches of State Government  – Joe Sonka – Kentucky Public Radio

Crime/courts/criminal justice reporting

  1. High Time To Crime: Why These Kentucky Gun Dealers Are on the ATF’s Radar  – Stephanie Kuzydym – Courier Journal
  2. LMPD: chief’s track record, questionable use of force and “misogynistic culture”  – Josh Wood – Courier Journal
  3. I-75 shooting  – Lucas Aulbach  – Courier Journal

Web graphics/use of data

  1. Louisville best private schools  – Allison Stines – Louisville Business First
  2. Fast 50  – Allison Stines – Louisville Business First
  3. N/A

Business/technology reporting

  1. Olivia Evans Business / Technology Reporting  – Olivia Evans – Courier Journal
  2. Energy efficiency and electricity bills in Eastern Kentucky  – Liam Niemeyer – KY Lantern
  3. Fourth Street Live, West Louisville momentum and Manufacturing in Kentucky  – Michael Jones – Louisville Business First

Sports action photography

  1. Kentucky Derby 150 Finish – Michael Clevenger – Courier Journal
  2. Rory McIlroy hits from the fairway  – Christopher Fryer – Louisville Business First
  3. Newport’s Kendall Buck-Barber hurdles for the score  – Matt Stone – Courier Journal

General news photography

  1. Givaudan Sense Colour Explosion  – Christopher Fryer – Louisville Business First
  2. A heated discussion  – Sam Upshaw – Courier Journal
  3. Truck Dangles from 2nd Street Bridge  – Alyssa Newton – WHAS

Editorial writing

  1. OPINION: Community Supported Agriculture is key to solving Louisville food insecurity  –
    Grace Fridy  – Manual RedEye
  2. STAFF EDITORIAL: The JCPS board’s recent busing decision denied the community of its voice  –
    RedEye Staff – Manual RedEye
  3. OPINION: JCPS early start times are detrimental to student success  –
    Stella Kolers, Marisa Bucher  – Manual RedEye

Sports column writing

  1. Sports column writing entries  – Timothy Sullivan – LEO Weekly
  2. C.L. Brown Sports Columns  – C.L. Brown  – Courier Journal
  3. N/A

Sports reporting 

  1. Sports reporting entries – Timothy Sullivan – KY Lantern
  2. Payton Titus Sports Reporting  – Payton Titus – Courier Journal
  3. Brooks Holton Sports Reporting – Brooks Holton – Courier Journal

Sports feature writing

  1. Brooks Holton Sports Feature Writing – Brooks Holton – Courier Journal
  2. The unseen injury: concussions in high school football  – Lydia Adams, Dia Cohen  – Manual RedEye
  3. Payton Titus Sports Feature Writing  – Payton Titus  – Courier Journal

Column writing

  1. Maggie Menderski Column Writing – Maggie Menderski  – Courier Journal  
  2. Joe Gerth Columns – Joe Gerth – Courier Journal
  3. Lennie Omalza Columns  – Lennie Omalza  – Courier Journal

Personality/profile writing

  1. Eleanor McCrary personality / profile writing  – Eleanor McCrary  – Courier Journal
  2. John Vellenger, Jim Epperson and John McGarvey  – Piper Hanson – Louisville Business First
  3. Julian Van Winkle, Greg Fante and Fred Minnick  – Stephen Schmidt – Louisville Business First

Best special section

  1. Kentucky Derby 150 – Bill Campling, Tracie Keeton, Jennier Herrmann  – Courier Journal
  2. Miracle on the 2nd Street Bridge  – Sherlene Shanklin, Doug Proffitt , Joseph Garcia  – WHAS

Page graphics/illustration

  1. Leaving Louisville – Bill Campling – Courier Journal
  2. 5 new things happening this month in the bourbon industry  – Brian Gray – Courier Journal
  3. What outsiders think of Louisville  – Shea Van Hoy, Matt Haesly  – Louisville Business First

Page design

  1. A Tangled Push – Tracie Keeton – Courier Journal
  2. Losing Ground – Bill Campling – Courier Journal
  3. Louisville Fish Fry Guide – Brian Gray – Courier Journal

Broadcast

Business/technology reporting 

  1. Mason Brighton – AI Truck Tracking – Spectrum News
  2. N/A
  3. N/A

 Feature reporting 

  1. Jonathon Gregg – Feature Kentucky – Spectrum News
  2. Alyssa Newton – The Day He Prayed For – WHAS
  3. Mason Brighton – Mason Brighton Features – Spectrum News

Sports action videography

  1. Alyssa Newton – Covering the Cards – WHAS
  2. N/A
  3. N/A

Continuing coverage/series reporting

  1. John Charlton, Phillip Murrell – Growing Pains With KY Medical Marijuana – WHAS
  2. Monica Harkins, Jeff Gordon – Old National Bank Mass Shooting — Remembering the lives lost and those forever changed – WDRB
  3. Jonathon Gregg – Randy Crumley – Spectrum News

Natpackage/Video Essay

  1. Jon Black – Battle of the Strings – WLKY
  2. Now I Know Why – Jessica Farley, Brooke Hasch  – WHAS
  3. Lifesaving training for Indiana firefighters – Marc Wilson – WAVE

Newscast 

  1. WLKY News Team – Scottie Scheffler Arrest – WLKY 5PM News – WLKY
  2. WLKY News Team – Plant Explosion – WLKY 5PM News – WLKY
  3. N/A

In-depth/Investigative videography

  1. John Charlton – Lights Out, Track Safety, and Pure Michigan – WHAS
  2. Alyssa Newton – The Day He Prayed For – WHAS
  3. N/A

Sports reporting

  1. Mason Horodyski – Mason Horodyski Sports Reporting – WHAS
  2. Kendrick Haskins, Marc Wilson – Fighting for his dream – WAVE
  3. N/A

Public affairs reporting

  1. Jose Alonzo, Emma Gefter  LGBTQ+ group raises mental health awareness in Kentuckiana Pride Parade – WHAS 
  2. Travis Breese – Arkansas Joe’s journey to housing  – WHAS
  3. Isaiah Kim-Martinez , Alyssa Newton – ‘Abortion desert’: Ohio abortion clinic seeing wave of Kentuckians  – WHAS

Crime/courts/criminal justice reporting

  1. John Charlton, Phillip Murrell  – Institutional Failure – WHAS
  2. Madison Elliott – Elizabethtown courthouse shooting raises question about domestic violence hearings  – WLKY
  3. N/A

Enterprise/investigative reporting 

  1. John Charlton, Phillip Murrell  – Institutional Failure, Blood Money, and The Fix Is In?  – WHAS
  2. Madison Elliott, Scott Eckhardt  – WLKY Investigates: Should this regional Kentucky airport have a control tower?  – WLKY
  3. N/A

General news videography:

  1. Jonathon Gregg – Trapped – Spectrum News
  2. Emma Gefter – Anchorage cleans up neighborhood slammed by storms – WHAS
  3. Jonathan McEmber  – South end food pantry delivers hope and food to Louisville families in need  – WDRB

Feature videography

  1. Emma Gefter – Miniature ‘casting couch’ display at Kentucky State Fair causes controversy  – WHAS
  2. Scott Eckhardt  – What a Freak – WLKY
  3. Aspen Hester  – Fresh Turkeys Keep Customers Coming Back to Kentucky Farm – WHAS

Government/politics reporting

  1. Monica Harkins, Jason Riley, Zach Crabtree – Kentucky continues to place children in state office buildings, fighting a Louisville judge’s ruling  – WDRB
  2. Isaiah Kim-Martinez , Alyssa Newton  – Kentucky’s amiable attack dog: Auditioning for vice president – WHAS
  3. Mark Vanderhoff – Mark Vanderhoff Composite  – WLKY

 General/spot news reporting

  1. Isaiah Kim-Martinez , Alyssa Newton  – Brett Hankison Found Guilty  – WHAS
  2. David Williams – Residents In Shock After Deadly Explosion – Spectrum News
  3. Jonathon Gregg – Jonathon Gregg Reports  – Spectrum News

Best Kentucky Derby story 

  1. Monica Harkins, Jeff Gordon – TikTok to Trackside | Derby 150 artist nods to his big break in his Derby 150 art – WDRB
  2. N/A
  3. N/A

Student

Government/politics reporting 

  1. Maggie Stone – Public Funding, Private Interests – On The Record Magazine
  2. Isabella Edghill  – The effects of the Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action ruling  – Manual RedEye
  3. N/A

 Feature writing

  1. Nora Ruscoe – Forced Out – On The Record Magazine
  2. Zoe Huguley – Get with the Program – On The Record Magazine
  3. Lucy Vanderhoff – Into Adulthood – On The Record Magazine

Sports writing

  1. El Mohr – What Are You Losing? – On The Record Magazine
  2. Aiden Stewart  – Aiden’s Sports Shorts 2024  – WPMQ
  3. N/A

Editorial writing

  1. Isabella Edghill – Kentucky students need encouragement to get to the polls. SB 80 creates barriers instead. – KSVT The New Edu  
  2. N/A
  3. N/A

News/feature photography

  1. Aiden Stewart – JoJo’s Promposal to Frieda – WPMQ
  2. Noa Yussman  – End of the Road – On The Record Magazine
  3. N/A

Sports photography

  1. Dylan French – Jackson Jumps – WPMQ
  2. Suzetta Fuller – What Are You Losing? – On The Record Magazine
  3. N/A

Best picture story

  1. Aiden Stewart – JoJo’s Promposal to Frieda – WPMQ
  2. Ellie Jenkins, Trey Hawk, Aiden Stewart  – 2024 Soccer Sectional Champions – WPMQ
  3. N/A

Best video (non-broadcast)

  1. Ethan French, Kassie Propes, Josiah Richardson, Isabella Spencer, Aiden Stewart  –
    The Sweetest Promposal – WPMQ
  2. Gabrielle Morin – Jennings County Girls Basketball Hype – Jennings County High School
  3. Gabrielle Morin  – The Comeback – Jennings County High School

Page graphics/illustrations

  1. Jeremy Young – Out of Sight Out of Line – On The Record Magazine
  2. Uyen Nguyen – Alma Matters – On The Record Magazine
  3. N/A

 Page design

  1. Jeremy Young – Public Funding, Private Interests – On The Record Magazine
  2. David Routt – Dreams of Tomorrow – On The Record Magazine
  3. Grace Kirby – What Are You Losing? – On The Record Magazine