Noah Douglas, a senior journalism and sports media and communication double major from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, was awarded the 2025 Holle Award for Excellence in Sports Writing.
The University of Alabama’s prestigious Holle Awards are a national honor that celebrates the power of communication to reflect humanity and inspire empathy. All Holle Awards winners receive a $10,000 cash prize and a “Hermes Rises” trophy.
Assistant professor Jason Stamm encouraged him to apply, and at first, Douglas thought winning was a long shot.
“After reading the mission statement, I knew exactly which piece to submit,” Douglas said.
He knew his story, “What it means to wear 42 – a Worthley family affair,”embodied the spirit and values of the Holle Awards because it highlights Jackie Robinson’s impact on future generations of black athletes, such as Jalen and Jeter Worthley.
The competition judges said Douglas’ entry had “all the marks of excellent journalism” and that his storytelling was done with “elegance and grace.”
He also entered the Worthley brothers' story in the national Associated Press Sports Editors Student Contest, where he won 10th place, and the story helped Douglas secure a summer internship at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York—he talks about his internship experience in “Standing in the Hall of Fame,” a blog post he wrote for the University.
Douglas thanked his community and mentors like Stamm, CoJMC adjuncts Amie Just and Erin Sorensen and Nate Head, his former boss at the Lincoln Journal Star, for always challenging him to go for the opportunities he’s passionate about.
“I’m incredibly thankful for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, the Lincoln Journal Star, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for teaching me the skills to succeed,” Douglas said. “As I near my UNL graduation, I’m confident that my storytelling and communication skills will carry over to any opportunity I pursue next.”
