EIU Media Relations

The Daily Eastern News wins 15 national awards

This information was originally published by the Daily Eastern News Editorial Board on October 22, 2025. The original article is available here. 

The Daily Eastern News staff won 15 national awards between Division II CMA Pinnacle Awards and ACP Pacemaker Awards this past weekend at the MediaFest 25 conference held in Washington, D.C. 

The News won three first place awards, four second place awards, two third place awards, one fourth place award and five honorable mention awards. 

ACP (Associated College Press)

ACP has more than 570 members across the national community of collegiate journalists and advisors, according to its website.  These awards consist of three groups: Pacemaker, Individual, Best of Show and Clips & Clicks. ACP awards are not broken into divisions, meaning The News is competing with every entry nationally.  

ACP Pacemaker Awards

• Photo Editor Patrick Schmitz won second place for sports feature photo of the year for his shot of Eastern’s softball team shortly after winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship in May.
• Former Design Editor Rob Le Cates won fourth place for broadcast story of the year for his long documentary.
• Former Photo Editor Sia DeyKoontz received an honorable mention for feature photo of the year for her shot of students preparing for Miss Black EIU 2025. 

CMA (College Media Association)

CMA is a nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of college media professionals and has operated since its foundation in 1954, according to its website.  CMA Pinnacle Awards saw 3,358 total entries and 1,165 finalists across eight categories with winners being chosen by various professors and professionals, according to the website. CMA awards are split into categories based on enrollment.  

CMA Pinnacle Awards: News & Opinion

• The News staff received an honorable mention for media website of the year.
• Feature Reporter Aidan Cusack won first place for general newsletter.
• Former Feature Reporter Alexis Moore-Jones won second place for her breaking news photo of a vigil outside Lawson Hall.
• Former Sports Reporter Drew Farrell won third place for column on Robert F. Kennedy Jr being wrong about autism.
• Former Reporter Cam’ron Hardy received an honorable mention for his breaking news multimedia coverage on the Spirit Rock. 

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Advertising & General 

• Former Design Editor Rob Le Cates won second place for his portrait of former Eastern Illinois University Provost Ryan Hendrickson. 

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Creative 

• Former Design Editor Rob Le Cates won second place for his infographic on undergraduate graduation statistics and rates between fiscal year 2013 and 2023.
• Former Design Editor Rob Le Cates received an honorable mention for his long documentary on the conflict of using land for agriculture and energy collection. 

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Sports & Features 

• Former Photo Editor Sia DeyKoontz won first place for her sports photo of Eastern’s baseball team celebrating a grand slam. 
• Sports Editor Gabe Newman and Design Editor Bryce Parker won first place for their multimedia sports story on the OVC baseball championship.
• Former Photo Editor Sia DeyKoontz won third place for her feature photo package on EIU’s Holi Festival of Colors.
• Sports Editor Gabe Newman received an honorable mention for his audio/video sports feature on Charleston High School’s boys’ basketball team.