KINGSVILLE (April 2, 2026) — While Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) student journalists are training to seek out and deliver news, they themselves made headlines at last month’s Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) annual conference in Denton by winning 22 awards, including two first-place awards.
This year’s results continued The South Texan’s run of recent TIPA success, bringing its award total to 159 since 2020.
“The continual success of our student journalists is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and passion for journalism our students have,” said Nicole Morris, assistant professor of practice in communications/journalism. “Our students stand on the shoulders of those who came before them. We are successfully building a journalism program centered on ethical standards and First Amendment rights. These awards are a reflection this.”
The South Texan received first place for Overall Newspaper Design and for an Editorial Cartoon drawn by Audrey Pratt, a junior from San Antonio.
Editors for The South Texan editors were awarded third place in Editorial and received honorable mentions for Overall Website and Headline Writing, while The Javelina Broadcast Network placed third in Program Production Video and Newscast.
Other notable award winners were Jacob Daniels, a graduate from Corpus Christi and Matthew Roberts, a senior from Zapata, who teamed up for second-place awards in Multimedia General News and Multimedia Sports. They also placed third in Sports Video and received third place and honorable mention in Live Sports Coverage.
Daniels also received three other third-place finishes, team with Bella Grossman, a senior from Alice, in General News Video and as an individual in Sports News Story and Feature Page Design.
Roberts received honorable mention in Feature Page Design and Opinion/Editorial Page Design.
Mark Paz, a senior from Ricardo also won multiple sports awards, securing third place for Sportscast and honorable mention for Multimedia Sports.
Full Awards List TIPA 2026
1st Place - The South Texan, Overall Newspaper Design
1st Place - Editorial Cartoon, Audrey Pratt
2nd Place - Multimedia General News, Jacob Daniels & Matthew Roberts
2nd Place - Multimedia Sports, Jacob Daniels & Matthew Roberts
2nd Place - Advertising/PSA/Promo Radio, Jakob Salinas
3rd Place - Program Production Video, Javelina Broadcast Network
3rd Place - Sports Cast, Mark Paz
3rd Place - News Cast, Javelina Broadcast Network
3rd Place - Sports Video, Jacob Daniels & Matthew Roberts
3rd Place - Live Sports Coverage, Jacob Daniels & Matthew Roberts
3rd Place - Editorial, The South Texan Editors
3rd Place - General Column, Sean Charles
3rd Place - Sports News Story, Jacob Daniels
3rd Place - General News Video, Jacob Daniels & Bella Grossman
3rd Place - Feature Page Design, Jacob Daniels
Honorable Mention - Overall Website, The South Texan
Honorable Mention - Headline Writing, The South Texan
Honorable Mention - Feature Page Design, Matthew Roberts
Honorable Mention - Opinion/Editorial Page Design, Matthew Roberts
Honorable Mention - Radio Advertising (Live), Daniel Moreno
Honorable Mention - Multimedia Sports, Mark Paz
Honorable Mention - Live Sports Coverage, Jacob Daniels & Matthew Roberts
-TAMUK-
