The Observer won five awards in four categories at the Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA) awards ceremony Saturday held at Indiana State University.
Other Notre Dame publications represented at ICPA included The Dome, named second-best yearbook, Scholastic, which tied for second place for Best News Magazine and The Juggler, which won best literary magazine.
Two Observer sports writers captured first place honors.
Current Editor-in-Chief Chris Hine won first place in the Best Sports Column category for "Reslife's actions not consistent," which compared and questioned the University's suspensions of former football player Derrell Hand for charges of soliciting a prostitute and current basketball player Kyle McAlarney for charges of marijuana possession.
Current Managing Editor Jay Fitzpatrick won first place in the Best Sports Feature category for "Football for his family," a profile of Irish safety David Bruton and his son, Jaden.
Former Assistant Managing Editor and 2006 Notre Dame graduate Bobby Griffin won second place in the Best Sports News Story category for "University suspends McAlarney," which detailed the University's suspension of McAlarney and included reaction to the suspension from McAlarney's mother, Janice.
Former Editor-in-Chief Maddie Hanna captured second for Best In-Depth Story for "Suspension recalls past cases, raises questions," a comparison of McAlarney's suspension to other high profile suspensions.
Former Managing Editor Ken Fowler won third place in the Best Sports Column category for "Cause and effect affects smaller schools," an examination of how football coach Charle Weis' proposal for an early signing day would help big-time football programs, but hurt mid-major schools.
