The College of Journalism and Mass Communications is proud to announce the four students selected to receive the Lynn and Dana Roper Sports Writing Competition awards.
Gavin Struve, a junior advertising and public relations and sports media and communication major from Omaha won first place. His entries were “'The best feeling in the world': Westside's Erin Mardi makes her varsity football debut” which ran in the Omaha World Herald on Oct. 28, 2021, and “Amid bright future, Husker commit Ernest Hausmann doesn't want to forget his past” which ran in the the Omaha World-Herald on Dec. 13, 2021. Struve will receive a $2,000 award for his first-place finish.
Jason Q Han, a junior journalism and English major from Omaha, Nebraska, took second place. His entries included a Feb. 13, 2021, Daily Nebraskan story, “Clinton Ross and Nebraska’s near 40-year ban of Black athletes,” and “Huskers find acceptance despite challenges as LGBTQ athletes,” which ran in the Daily Nebraskan on April. 4, 2020. Han will receive a $1,500 award.
Jessica Blum, a senior sports media and communication and meteorology-climatology major from Gretna, Nebraska, took third place. Her entries were a Dec. 25, 2021, Nebraska News Service story, “Overwhelmed outcry: Without an official outlet, sport club-athletes turn to each other,” and a Nebraska New Service story published on Oct. 19, 2021, “UNL women’s club lacrosse crushes COVID, better on other side, president says.” Blum will receive a $1,000 award.
Grant Hansen, a junior broadcasting and sports media and communication major from Omaha, Nebraska, was awarded fourth place. His entries included a Daily Nebraskan story published on Oct. 22, 2021, “Lauren Stivrins returns to Husker volleyball after recovering from injury” and a Jan. 17, 2022, Daily Nebraskan story, “Trey McGowens returns, but Nebraska men’s basketball drops sixth straight.” Hansen will receive a $500 award.
The Roper Sports Writing Competition was judged by CoJMC faculty members Brian Petrotta, assistant professor in sports media and communication; Jennifer Sheppard, assistant professor of practice in sports media and communication and Jason Stamm, assistant professor in sports media and communication.
Established in 2001, the Lynn and Dana Roper Sports Writing Competition is an annual sports reporting competition open to all graduate and undergraduate students in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications.