The Observer won 18 awards at the 2016 Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA) awards this weekend in Indianapolis, including third place in the Division I Newspaper of the Year category and first place in the special issue category for the March 2, 2015 edition commemorating University President Emeritus Fr. Theodore Hesburgh.
The News department, led by current Editor-in-Chief and former News Editor Margaret Hynds, won second place for Best In-Depth Story for Hynds and former Saint Mary’s Editor Haleigh Ehmsen’s coverage of the response to screenings of “The Hunting Ground” at Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s. Hynds also won second place for Best Breaking News Reporting for her coverage of the death of Notre Dame student Lisa Yang.
Additionally, the department won third place for its sexual assault series in the Best News or Feature Series category.
The Sports department, led by former Sports Editor and current Assistant Managing Editor Zach Klonsinski, took home four awards, including second place in Best Sports Column for former Senior Sports Writer Mike Monaco’s column after the Irish men’s basketball team’s loss to Kentucky in the Elite Eight. Monaco also won third place in the Best Sports News Story category for his wrap of the same game. Additionally, former Editor-in-Chief Greg Hadley won third place for Best Sports Feature for his piece “Huffman seized the moment, pushes Notre Dame to title game.” The department also won second place for Best Sports Page for a page in an Irish Insider titled “Cruise Control.”
The Sports department teamed up with the Graphics department to take home second place for Best Pull Out Section for the Irish Insider “Quiet Noise: Will Fuller.”
The Graphics department, led by former Graphics Editor Erin Rice, also won first place for Best Special Section or Front Cover for Rice and Kat Robinson’s “Super Human: Jaylon Smith” cover. Additionally, former Photo Editor Zach Llorens and former Graphics Editor Keri O’Mara won third place for Best Special Section Cover for their Bengal Bouts Irish Insider cover.
The Scene section, led by Scene Editor Erin McAuliffe, won first place for Best Podcast for their “Scenecast: Deathcast,” created by McAuliffe, former Scene Editor Miko Malabute, Matt McMahon, Matt Munhall and Adam Ramos. McMahon also won third place in the Best Entertainment Column category for his piece “Is it time to give The Shaggs another listen?”
The Viewpoint section won third place for Best Opinion Column for Billy McMahon’s piece “Practically Pro-Life.”
Former Online Editor Michael Yu, former Assistant Managing Editor Kevin Song and Llorens won second place for Best Special Presentation Online for the Hesburgh memorial website.
The 2015-2016 Editorial Board won first place for Best Editorial for its piece on sexual assault, “We’re mad as hell.”
The Observer also took home first place for Best Blog for the study abroad blog, and third place for Best Themed Issue for the 2015 Commencement issue.
