University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications students Tommy Rezac and Kellan Heavican were both awarded the 2016 Grand Prize in the Audio Sports Segment competition from the National Broadcasting Society. Rezac and Heavican, along with Zach Penrice, also received Grand Prize in the Audio Sports Program competition.
Broadcasting majors junior Tommy Rezac of Valparaiso and sophomore Kellan Heavican of Schuyler both worked on the KRNU sports staff for the fall 2015 football season, and their winning pieces aired on the KRNU Husker Countdown show for the Nebraska v. Northwestern game.
Freshman Zach Penrice of Omaha, who also works on the KRNU sports staff, produced a Grand Prize-winning pregame show, along with Rezac and Heavican, for a Husker men’s basketball game against Miami.
Heavican’s winning submission “Remembering the 1995 Cornhuskers” is about the 1995 Nebraska football team, which was honored at the Northwestern game for winning the 1995 National Championship. Heavican interviewed then-Defensive Coordinator Charlie McBride.
Rezac’s winning submission “History of the Hail Mary” aired the game after Nebraska lost to BYU on a Hail Mary pass. The piece examined what went wrong in that game, as well as how the term “Haily Mary” started in football. It also looked at the some of the most famous Hail Mary passes in history.
Penrice is a journalism and broadcasting double major. He worked as a production assistant for ESPN at the 2015 College World Series and plans to do the same for the 2016 College World Series.
Heavican is an intern at the Nebraska School Activities Association and works at LincolnPrepSports.com. He’s the vice president of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln chapter of the National Broadcasting Society.
He’s also an intramural basketball referee for the Campus Recreation Center and the president of the North American Junior Red Angus Event.
Rezac is currently a news and sports reporter and producer at 1400 AM KLIN in Lincoln and KRNU sports staff director. Previously, he was an intern at the sports office at KLKN-TV Channel 8 in Lincoln.
He’s also a member of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln chapter of the National Broadcasting Society and Friends of KRNU and serves on the COJMC Student Advisory Board. Additionally, Rezac works with BTN Student U Productions and the Newman Center Lectors and Readers.
NBS-AERho’s mission statement is, “The National Broadcasting Society-Alpha Epsilon Rho enhances the development of college students preparing for careers in electronic media industries. NBS-AERho connects students with practicing professionals; emphasizes industry ethics, diversity, and inclusiveness; and promotes opportunities for excellence in leadership, community service, and production.”
