Marshall Student Station, Led by NSMA Member Bailey, Racks Up Awards

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Students from Marshall University's public radio station, WMUL-FM, received three (3) first-place awards and four (4) second-place awards in the metropolitan classification during the twelfth annual “The Virginias” Associated Press Broadcasters awards ceremony Saturday, April 5, 2025, at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, WV. The Metro Radio entries were judged by Associated Press-affiliated professional radio personnel in Colorado, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.

NSMA member Dr. Chuck G. Bailey, professor of radio-television production and management in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University and faculty manager of WMUL-FM, said for the eighth time the university’s radio station competed in the Radio I/ Metropolitan Division with the major commercial and noncommercial radio stations from throughout the two states. He added, "Winning the 2023 Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias first place award is an astonishing accomplishment considering that the FM 88 Sports Staff did this in the Radio I/Metropolitan Division while competing against veteran broadcasting professionals working for all the major news/sports talk radio stations across both West Virginia and Virginia. It is the second time out of the past twelve years that WMUL-FM has won “The Virginias” Outstanding News Operation and the ONLY time in the Metro Division. The 2014 award came in the non-metro division. WMUL-FM was named the Outstanding News Operation for the seventh time overall since 1985. (The past times in “The Virginias” were in the 2014 and 2024 calendar years. The other calendar years were for just West Virginia in 1990, 1994, 2004, 2005, and 2011.

Additionally, Bailey said, "Winning the 2024 Best Sports Play-by-Play and Best Website first-place awards is impressive in their own right. Winning second-place awards for the 2024 calendar year in the Outstanding Sports Operation of the Virginias, Best News Anchor, Best Sports Anchor and Best Sports Play-by-Play categories are quite notable achievements, as well. It is the twelfth time in the past twelve years that WMUL-FM won either first (six times) or second place (six times) for having the Outstanding Sports Operation of the Virginias. These seven total awards won this past weekend at The Greenbrier demonstrate that WMUL-FM student broadcasters are standing on a legacy, NOT resting on it. Plus, these awards demonstrate the value of this campus radio station to Marshall University and the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.”

The first-place station and individual award-winning entry in the twelfth annual “The Virginias” Associated Press Broadcasters awards contest is:

BEST SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY

WMUL-FM’s broadcast of the Marshall University versus Manhattan in the inaugural baseball game played at Jack Cook Field in Huntington, West Virginia, Friday, March 1, 2024. The students calling the baseball broadcast over FM 88.1 were:

Play-by-play announcer – Ray Rynearson, a recent graduate from Deposit, New York

Color commentator – Johnathan Edwards, a recent graduate from Culloden,

Engineer – Ben Cower, a senior from Purcellville, Virginia.

The second-place award-winning entries are:

OUTSTANDING SPORTS OPERATION FOR THE VIRGINIAS

The FM 88 Sports Staff led by the 2024 WMUL-FM Spring Sports Director Ben Cower, a senior from Purcellville, Virginia, and Fall Sports Director Sean Kelly, a senior from State College, Pennsylvania.

BEST RADIO SPORTS ANCHOR

"A Compilation of Work” written and announced by sports anchor Ben Cower, a senior from Purcellville, Virginia, broadcast during the 5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88” throughout 2024.

BEST SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY

WMUL-FM’s broadcast of the Marshall University versus Jacksonville women’s basketball contest played at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, West Virginia, Friday, December 13, 2024. The students calling the women’s basketball broadcast over FM 88.1 were:

Play-by-play announcer – Ben Anderson, a junior from Ironton, Ohio,

Color commentator – Ben Westfall, a recent graduate from Huntington,

Engineer – Anthony Doria, a freshman from Troy, Michigan.