The College of Journalism and Mass Communications is proud to announce this year's Lynn and Dana Roper Sports Writing Competition winners.
Noah Douglas, a senior journalism and sports media and communication double major from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, won first place. Douglas was awarded $2,500 for his entries that were both published in the Lincoln Journal Star, "Above the rest: Keri Leimbach's impeccable résumé stands taller than her competitors," on Dec. 8, 2024, and "How 2 setters stepped up for Norris volleyball and kept Titans' title dreams alive," on Nov. 17, 2024.
Danny Berg placed second and will receive a $2,000 prize for his Daily Nebraskan stories, "Leaving A Legacy: Nebraska thanks John Cook," published on Jan. 30, 2025, and "Big Ten juggernauts Nebraska and Purdue do not disappoint in Husker win," published on Oct. 12, 2024. Berg is a sophomore broadcasting and sports media and communication double major from Chicago, Illinois.
Third place was awarded to Fisher Madsen, a sophomore journalism and sports media and communication double major from Omaha. Fisher will receive a $1,500 award for his entries "From Pandemic to Perfection: The Unstoppable Elkhorn North Class of 2024," published in Omaha High School Sports on March 31, 2024, and "Juwan Gary leads Nebraska past No. 14 Creighton 74-63," published in the Nebraska News Service on Nov. 24, 2024.
Derek Harrington, a senior sports media and communication major from Nelson, won fourth place and will receive a $1,000 award. He was awarded for Nebraska News Service stories, "Friendly rivals and strong bonds: Skydiving at the Cornhusker State Games," published on Feb. 21, 2025, and "Husker defense dominates Miami, secures Sweet 16 spot," published on Dec. 8, 2024.
The 2025 Roper Sports Writing Competition was judged by Zack Carpenter, Owner and Publisher of Inside Nebraska, Max Olson, national reporter at ESPN and Mitch Sherman, senior writer for The Athletic.
Lynn and Dana Roper, distinguished alums of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, founded the Lynn and Dana Roper Sports Writing Competition in 2001, driven by their enduring passion for sports and its unifying impact on communities.
Dana, once drawn to a career in sports writing before pursuing law, and Lynn, whose professional journey from journalism to financial planning was influenced by her love for sports, recognize the importance of nurturing exceptional talent in sports journalism. Their philanthropic contributions have established a vital platform for aspiring journalists to demonstrate and be rewarded for their sports storytelling skills.
Interested in creating an award program like the Lynn and Dana Roper Sports Writing Competition? Your contributions help empower students and advance excellence across the college. To learn more about how you can make a difference through philanthropy, contact Director of Development Jeremy Lohrman at 800-432-3216 or jeremy.lohrman@nufoundation.org.
