2016 Pinnacle Award Winners

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2015-2016 Pinnacle Awards. See the results below! 


Organizational Pinnacle Winners 

Best College Media Outlet of the Year

Four-Year Best College Media Outlet of the Year

• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University

• Second Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Third Place: The Oklahoma Daily, University of Oklahoma

Two-Year Best College Media Outlet of the Year

• First Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Second Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College

• Third Place: Crowder Sentry, Crowder College

Broadcast Pinnacles

Four-Year Radio Station of the Year

• First Place: WWVU-FM (U-92), West Virginia University

• Second Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University

• Third Place: VandyRadio, Vanderbilt University

Four-Year TV Station of the Year

• First Place: Viking Fusion, Berry College

• Second Place: Elon Local News, Elon University

• Third Place: ROAR Studios, Loyola Marymount University

• Honorable Mention: SGTV, University of South Carolina

Two-Year Radio Station of the Year

• First Place: KKSM, Palomar College

• Second Place: MyTJCNews, Tyler Junior College

• Third Place: KDUX Web Radio, Richland College

Two-Year TV Station of the Year

• First Place: Owl Magazine, Harford Community College

• Second Place: The Hawk Media Club, Hillsborough Community College

• Third Place: Apache Pow Wow, Tyler Junior College

Feature Magazine Pinnacles

Four-Year Feature Magazine of the Year

• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University

• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Third Place: The Annual, Drake University

Two-Year Feature Magazine of the Year

• First Place: El Sol Magazine, Southwestern College

• Second Place: Pacific Rim Magazine, Langara College

• Third Place: The Current, Amarillo College

Literary Magazine Pinnacles

Four-Year Literary Magazine of the Year

• First Place: FLARE: The Flagler Review, Flagler College

• Second Place: The Peel Literature & Arts Review, Appalachian State University

• Third Place: The Vanderbilt Review, Vanderbilt University

Two-Year Literary Magazine of the Year

• First Place: Amaranth, Anne Arundel Community College

• Second Place: The Traveler, Glendale Community College

• Third Place: Miambiance, Miami Dade College Kendall Campus

Newspaper Pinnacles

Four-Year Daily newspaper of the Year

• First Place: The Battalion, Texas A&M University

• Second Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Third Place: The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University

• Honorable Mention: Daily Bruin, UCLA

Four-Year Less-Than-Weekly Newspaper of the Year

• First Place: The Eagle, American University

• Second Place: The Xavier Herald, Xavier University of Louisiana

• Third Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Four-Year Weekly Newspaper of the Year

• First Place: The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

• Second Place: Ka Leo O Hawaii, University of Hawaii at Manoa

• Third Place: Central Michigan Life, Central Michigan University

Two-Year Less-Than-Weekly Newspaper of the Year

• First Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College

• Second Place: The Sentinel, North Idaho College

• Third Place: el Don, Santa Ana College

Two-Year Weekly Newspaper of the Year

• First Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College

• Second Place: The Voice, Langara College

• Third Place: Richland Chronicle, Richland College

Online Pinnacles

Four-Year Mobile App/Plug-In of the Year

• First Place: Baylorlariat.com, Baylor University

• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

• Third Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University

Four-Year Website of the Year

• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Second Place: District, Savannah College of Art and Design

• Third Place: Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University

Two-Year Mobile App/Plug-In of the Year

• Honorable Mention: The Hawk Media Club, Hillsborough Community College

Two-Year Website of the Year

• First Place: Pacific Rim Magazine, Langara College

• Second Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Third Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College

Yearbook Pinnacles

Four-Year Yearbook of the Year

• First Place: The Campanile, Rice University

• Second Place: Agromeck, NC State University

• Third Place: La Ventana, Texas Tech University

Individual Pinnacle Award Winners

Advertising Pinnacles

Best Ad Campaign

• First Place: Marquette+Living, Marquette University

• Second Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

• Third Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

Best Ad Supplement/Special Section

• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Third Place: The Et Cetera, Eastfield College

• Honorable Mention: The Southwestern College, Southwestern College

Best Display Ad

• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Second Place: Arches, Mount Mary University

• Third Place: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso

Best House Ad

• First Place: Marquette+Living, Marquette University

• Second Place: Bonfire, Grand View University

• Third Place: The Xavier Herald, xulaherald.com, Xavier University of Louisiana

Best Multimedia Campaign

• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Third Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

Best Online Ad

• First Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Second Place: The University Daily Kansan, The University Daily Kansan

• Third Place: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso

Best Rate Card/Media Kit

• First Place: The Standard, Missouri State University

• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

• Third Place: Marquette University Student Media, 2015-2016 Media Kit, Marquette University

Best Social Media Strategy

• First Place: The Legacy/Lindenlink, Lindenwood University

• Second Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University

• Third Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University

• Honorable Mention: EMERGE Magazine, Conference and Media Awards, University of Guelph-Humber

Broadcast Pinnacles

Best Television Newscast

• First Place: 2nd Year Broadcasting Television/ Journalism Newscast, Mohawk College

• Second Place: TV2 News: Feb. 16, 2016, Kent State University

• Third Place: Elon Local News 11/9/2015, Elon University

Best Podcast

• First Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University

• Second Place: VandyRadio, Vanderbilt University

• Third Place: 2015 Conference USA Halloween Spooktacular 5 (WMUL-FM), Marshall University

Best Radio Newscast

• First Place: KTSW-FM 89.9, Texas State University

• Second Place: WSUM Madison Student Radio, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Third Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University

• Honorable Mention: KKSM News April 1, 2016, Palomar College

Best Radio Promo/PSA

• First Place: WZIS-FM, Indiana State University

• Second Place: 2015 Fountain Ceremony Promo (WMUL-FM), Marshall University

• Third Place: KTSW-FM 89.9, Texas State University

Best Radio Special Event Coverage

• First Place: WKNC-FM, North Carolina State University

• Second Place: Community Feedback: Bernie Sanders Campaign Rally, West Virginia University

• Third Place: KzLX-LP, Northwest Missouri State University

Best Radio Sportscast

• First Place: WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University

• Second Place: KBVU 97.5 The Edge, Buena Vista University

• Third Place: VandyRadio, Vanderbilt University

Best Radio Talk/Entertainment Program

• First Place: WHSN’s Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery & Imagination 2015, New England School of Communications at Husson University

• Second Place: Moose In The Morning, West Virginia University

• Third Place: WZIS-FM, Indiana State University

Best Television Sportscast

• First Place: Q30 Television, Quinnipiac University

• Second Place: WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University

• Third Place: Husky Mag, St. Cloud State University

• Honorable Mention: Mustang News, Cal Poly

Best TV Entertainment Program

• First Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Second Place: Vanderbilt Television, Vanderbilt University

• Third Place: ELN Morning 4/14/2016, Elon University

Best TV Promo/PSA

• First Place: Griffon Update, Missouri Western State University

• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Third Place: Viking Fusion, Berry College

Best TV Special Event Coverage

• First Place: TV2 Election Show: Ohio Primary, Kent State University

• Second Place: 1st Year “International Women’s Day Special Presentation”, Mohawk College

• Third Place: KNWT Student Television, Northwest Missouri State University

Best Viral Video

• First Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Second Place: Viking Fusion, Berry College

• Third Place: The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Design Pinnacles (includes Best of Collegiate Design Pinnacles)

Best Editorial Illustration

• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Second Place: The Kent Stater, Kent State University

• Third Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas

• Honorable Mention: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin

Best Advertisement

• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Second Place: Arches, Mount Mary University

• Third Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Best Comic Strip

• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Second Place: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin

• Third Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania

Best Editorial Cartoon

• First Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

• Second Place: The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

• Third Place: Northwest Missourian, Northwest Missouri State University

• Honorable Mention:The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso

Best Infographic

• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Second Place: The Pioneer, California State University, East Bay

• Third Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University

Best Magazine Contents Page/Spread

• First Place: Pursuit Magazine, California Baptist University

• Second Place: Alice Magazine, The University of Alabama

• Third Place: 34th Street Magazine, University of Pennsylvania

Best Magazine Cover

• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University

• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Third Place: Reflector, Georgia Southern University

Best Magazine Entertainment Page/Spread

• First Place: Stephens Life, Stephens College

• Second Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College

• Third Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

Best Magazine Feature Page/Spread

• First Place: Bonfire, Grand View University

• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Third Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College

Best Magazine News Page/Spread

• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Second Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College

• Third Place: Spinnaker, University of North Florida

• Honorable Mention: Stephens Life, Stephens College

• Honorable Mention: Minero Magazine, The University of Texas at El Paso

Best Magazine Sports Page/Spread

• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Second Place: The Campanile, Rice University

• Third Place: Bonfire, Grand View University

Best Newspaper Entertainment Page/Spread

• First Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

• Second Place: Second Place: The Oakland Post – Bill Nye the Science Guy, Oakland University

• Third Place: The Advocate, Contra Costa College

Best Newspaper Feature Page/Spread

• First Place: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin

• Second Place: The Pendulum, Elon University

• Third Place: The Signal, Georgia State University

Best Newspaper Front Page

• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Second Place: Northwest Missourian, Northwest Missouri State University

• Third Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

• Honorable Mention: Technician, NC State University

• Honorable Mention: Loquitur, Cabrini College

Best Newspaper Nameplate

• First Place: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso

• Second Place: The Flor-Ala, University of North Alabama

• Third Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas

Best Newspaper News Page/Spread

• First Place: The Pendulum, Elon University

• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

• Third Place: The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University

Best Newspaper Opinion Page/Spread

• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

• Third Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas

Best Newspaper Photo Page/Spread

• First Place: The Pendulum, Elon University

• Second Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University

• Third Place: Kansas State Collegian, Kansas State University

Best Newspaper Sports Page/Spread

• First Place: The Daily Universe, BYU

• Second Place: The All State, Austin Peay State University

• Third Place: The Battalion, Texas A&M University

Best Online Infographic

• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

• Second Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania

• Third Place: RMU Sentry Media, Robert Morris University

Best Online Main Page

• First Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas

• Second Place: Mosaic Magazine, The University of Alabama

• Third Place: Urban Plains, Drake University

Best Social Media Main Page

• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University

• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Third Place: Student Niner Media, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Best Special Section Cover

• First Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University

• Second Place: Ke Alaka’i, BYU-Hawaii

• Third Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami

Best Yearbook Cover

• First Place: The Campanile, Rice University

• Second Place: Agromeck, NC State University

• Third Place: La Ventana, Texas Tech University

Best Yearbook Division Page/Spread

• First Place: Angelos Yearbook, California Baptist University

• Second Place: The Campanile, Rice University

• Third Place: Ibis Yearbook, Univeristy of Miami

Best Yearbook Entertainment Page/Spread

• First Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University

• Second Place:Spinnaker, University of North Florida

• Third Place: Ibis Yearbook, Univeristy of Miami

• Honorable Mention: The Tower, Loyola Marymount University

• Honorabe Mention: The Campanile, Rice University

Best Yearbook Feature Page/Spread

• First Place: Warbler, Eastern Illinois University

• Second Place: Roundup, Baylor University

• Third Place: The Tower, Loyola Marymount University

• Honorable Mention: Ibis Yearbook, University of Miami

Best Yearbook News Page/Spread

• First Place: Ibis Yearbook, University of Miami

• Second Place: The Campanile, Rice University

• Third Place: The Tower, Loyola Marymount University

• Honorable Mention: Angelos Yearbook, California Baptist University

Best Yearbook Sports Page/Spread

• First Place: Roundup, Baylor University

• Second Place: Agromeck, NC State University

• Third Place: Tower, Northwest Missouri State University

Online Pinnacles

Best Multimedia News Story

• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Second Place: Urban Plains, Drake University

• Third Place: Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University

Best Audio Slideshow

• First Place: The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

• Second Place: The Horizon, Indiana University Southeast

• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

Best Breaking News Coverage

• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Second Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College

• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

Best Multimedia Feature Story

• First Place: The Daily Universe, BYU

• Second Place: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington

• Third Place: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin

Best Podcast

• First Place: Urban Plains, Drake University

• Second Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University

• Third Place: Mochila Review, Missouri Western State University

Best Social Media Presence

• First Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, The University of Pennsylvania

• Second Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University

• Third Place: The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University

Best Viral Video

• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

• Second Place: Ke Alaka’i, BYU-Hawaii

• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

Photo Pinnacles 

Best Breaking News Photo

• First Place: The Breeze, James Madison University

• Second Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Third Place: el Don, Santa Ana College

Best Feature Photo

• First Place: Agromeck, NC State University

• Second Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania

• Third Place: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington

Best General News Photo

• First Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University

• Second Place: The All State, Austin Peay State University

• Third Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania

Best Photo Illustration

• First Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania

• Second Place: The Pioneer, California State University, East Bay

• Third Place: The Santa Clara, Santa Clara University

• Honorable Mention: Pursuit Magazine, California Baptist University

Best Photo Package

• First Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University

• Second Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University

• Third Place: SCAN Magazine, SCAD Atlanta

Best Portrait

• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University

• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami

• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Honorable Mention: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington

• Honorable Mention: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach

Best Sports Feature Photo

• First Place: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington

• Second Place: Kansas State Collegian, Kansas State University

• Third Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University

Best Sports News Photo

• Second Place: The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University

• First Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University

• Third Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

Sports Pinnacles 

Best Online Sports Section

• First Place: Arizona Daily Wildcat, University of Arizona

• Second Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Third Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami

Best Sports Columnist

• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Second Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University

• Third Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University

Best Sports Feature

• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Second Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

• Third Place: The Spectrum, University at Buffalo

Best Sports Game Story

• First Place: The University Daily Kansan, The University Daily Kansan

• Second Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami

• Third Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University

Best Sports Investigative Story

• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University

• Second Place: TCU 360, Texas Christian University

• Third Place: The Flat Hat, College of William and Mary

Best Sports Multimedia Story

• First Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber

• Second Place: Image Magazine, Texas Christian University

• Third Place: The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

• Honorable Mention: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso

Best Sports Section

• First Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania

• Second Place: The Battalion, Texas A&M University

• Third Place: The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

• Honorable Mention: The Hullabaloo, Tulane University

Writing Pinnacles

Best Arts and Entertainment Story

• First Place: The Santa Clara, Santa Clara University

• Second Place: 34th Street Magazine, University of Pennsylvania

• Third Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College

• Honorable Mention: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Honorable Mention: RMU Sentry Media, Robert Morris University

Best Breaking News Story

• First Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University

• Second Place: el Don, Santa Ana College

• Third Place: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach

• Honorable Mention: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

Best Column

• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University

• Second Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College

• Third Place: The Baker Orange, Baker University

Best Editorial

• First Place: Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University

• Second Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami

• Third Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University

Best Feature Story

• First Place: The Miami Student, Miami University

• Second Place: The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

• Third Place: Golden Gate Xpress, San Francisco State University

Best General News Story

• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University

• Second Place: Urban Plains, Drake University

• Third Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly

Best Investigative Story

• First Place: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach

• Second Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University

• Third Place: Los Angeles Loyolan, Loyola Marymount University

Best News Package

• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Second Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA

• Third Place: KentWired, Kent State University

• Honorable Mention: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach

• Honorable Mention: The Northerner, Northern Kentucky University

Best Profile

• First Place: Urban Plains, Drake University

• Second Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Third Place: The Spectrum, University at Buffalo

• Honorable Mention: Mustang News, Cal Poly

Best Special Section

• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University

• Second Place: Arizona Daily Wildcat, University of Arizona

• Third Place: Los Angeles Loyolan, Loyola Marymount University