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Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest
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2023-24 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest District Winners
National winners announced for the 2024-25 CSC Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest in University and College Divisions
CSC awards National Story of the Year honors in the University Division (Division I) and the College Division. For a fourth time, Princeton’s Jerry Price won for his feature “Of Love, Sorrow and Cancer,” while Central College’s Larry Happel’s “Central’s DeRocher: Just as Good, if not better” story was chosen as the top College Division entry.
Central College baseball player Colton DeRocher wanted to be “just as good, if not better,” than his peers who were born with two complete hands, and now a powerful story about his journey has been voted to be a national winner in the annual College Sports Communicators (CSC) Stabley Writing Contest.
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Central's DeRocher: 'Just as good, if not better'” by retired Central College athletic communications leader Larry Happel was named College Division National Story of the Year in the 2024-25 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest.
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Of Love, Sorrow and Cancer,” Jerry Price’s poignant article about three Princeton University women’s soccer players dealing with cancer, was selected as National Story of the Year in the University Division.
Despite being born with a congenital defect on his left hand, DeRocher established himself as Central’s top batter in his senior season of 2024. And in his mind, that made his story worth telling.
“A baseball hitter with one hand seems like an obvious feature, but I admired the fact that Colton DeRocher didn’t want one written until after he felt his play on the field justified it,” said Happel. “He was fascinating to visit with, and one of the most determined athletes I’ve met.
“The honor is tremendously flattering and, yes, humbling, but it also reflects all that Colton has accomplished. I often think writers don’t win awards, great stories do. Colton has an incredible story to share. The challenge was figuring out how to tell it without getting in the way.”
When Sean Driscoll, the head women’s soccer coach at Princeton, shared his story idea, little did Driscoll know how personal it would be for Price, who won a National Story of the Year recognization for the fourth time.
“I had never met any of [the soccer players] before, and I left with so much admiration for their courage and their stories,” said Price. “This is their award as much as it is mine. I’m thankful that they allowed me to share their stories — though I really wish they never had those stories to have to tell in the first place.
“I’m very proud and honored to have had my story chosen. In a world where athletic communications is increasingly about how quickly you can create a graphic for the game that just ended or an Instagram post for every player weekly award, I still believe that there is a strong market for long-form feature story telling. The number of high quality entries in the Fred Stabley contest each year confirms that.”
Nearly 500 entries were submitted in seven categories in the 2024-25 contest. Each category was first judged on the district level, with the winners then advancing to national consideration. All national category winners were considered for National Story of the Year.
Price, Mike Green of Iowa State University, and Steve Bradley of Roberts Wesleyan University each won two categories in the national judging.
“I’m grateful that CSC continues to recognize the value of writing. Even in this digital age, I firmly believe that good writing still matters,” said Happel.
“Congratulations to everyone in CSC who was honored on the national and district levels, and to everyone who took the time to tell a story in a way that will always be appreciated,” added Price.
2024-25 Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest National Winners and Runners-Up
National Story of the Year - College Division
Winner: Larry Happel, Central - Central's DeRocher: 'Just as good, if not better'
Runner-up: Steve Bradley, Roberts Wesleyan - Building a ‘Pole Vault Paradise’
Athlete Profile - College Division
Winner: Larry Happel, Central - Central's DeRocher: 'Just as good, if not better'
Runner-up: Steve Bradley, Roberts Wesleyan - ‘I kept crossing stuff off my list’: How Brynn King overcame injuries and adversity to become an Olympic pole vaulter
Coach/Administrator Profile - College Division
Winner: Mark Moschetti, Seattle Pacific — Late Ferry Ride. Timely Phone Call.
Runner-up: Jordan Modjeski, Gustavus Adolphus — Highest Court in the Land: Salo and Carlson ‘17 Take their Talents to the U.S. Open
Event Coverage - College Division
Winner: Steve Bradley, Roberts Wesleyan — Brynn King Makes U.S. Olympic Pole Vault Team
Runner-up: Ethan Hulsey, Millersville — Dade's epic Senior Day performance propels Marauders past No. 15 East Stroudsburg
General Feature/Blog - College Division
Winner: Adam Greene, Carson-Newman — Carson-Newman Volleyball, Helping Through Helene
Runner-up: Ethan Hulsey, Millersville — After a roller coaster season, Tim Mayza '18 is enjoying the ride to the World Series
Historical Feature - College Division
Winner: Drew Wilson, Averett — Hall of Fame Feature: Chris Stanley ‘98
Runner-up (tie): Will DeBoer, Salisbury — Baseball alum Ference helps lead UVA to Men’s College World Series
Runner-up (tie): Joe Ginley, John Carroll — Remembering JCU's Gene Oberst 100 Years after His Paris Bronze
Season Recap/Preview - College Division
Winner: Steve Bradley, Roberts Wesleyan — Building a ‘Pole Vault Paradise’
Runner-up: Jordan Modjeski, Gustavus Adolphus — 2024-25 Women’s Hockey Season Preview
Social Justice/Diversity - College Division
Winner: Connor Hood, Alberta — Sprinter on track for success as an athlete and community leader
Runner-up: David Cataloni, UMass-Boston and Antonio Arredondo, George Fox — Breaking Down Baseball Barriers
Student Submission - College Division
Winner: Michael Clapprood, Endicott — Freshmen Duo of Shinney and Kinney Making Immediate Impact
Runner-up: Bradynn Belcher, Berry — Volleyball Completes the Four Peat!
National Story of the Year - University Division
Winner: Jerry Price, Princeton — Of Love, Sorrow and Cancer
Runner-up: Mike Green, Iowa State — Gagnier’s Gymnasts Still Seek His Wisdom And Guidance
Athlete Profile - University Division
Winner: Jerry Price, Princeton — Golden Feature: Maia Weintraub
Runner-up: Sarah Kirkpatrick Ryan, Holy Cross — ‘That’s just Jake’: Through ebbs and flows of football journey, Jarmolowich has remained unapologetically himself
Coach/Administrator Profile - University Division
Winner: Mike Green, Iowa State — Gagnier’s Gymnasts Still Seek His Wisdom And Guidance
Runner-up (tie): Jenna Lee, UCF — He’s Back Home
Runner-up (tie): Brandon Vickrey, Valparaiso — A Look Back at Four Decades Sporting the Black & White Stripes; Longtime Official Scorer Dot Nuechterlein to be Recognized
Event Coverage - University Division
Winner: Mike Brohard, Colorado State — From Foreheads to Shoes, Hofschild Signs to the End
Runner-up: Ross Taylor, Clemson — Clemson Legacy
General Feature/Blog - University Division
Winner: Jerry Price, Princeton — Of Love, Sorrow and Cancer
Runner-up: John Hartrick, Binghamton — For Mo’ Hype and Mo’ Music, It’s Mo Taylor!
Historical Feature - University Division
Winner: Mike Green, Iowa State — ‘It was the right group of people at the right time’: 25 years ago, Bill Fennelly led a group of hungry Cyclones to a historic upset of UConn
Runner-up: Kyle Cajero, Pepperdine — Chasing Waves: The Forgotten History of Pepperdine's Cross Country Champions
Season Recap/Preview - University Division
Winner: Joel Coleman, Mississippi State — Dawgs’ Road To The Dance Paved By Toughness
Runner-up (tie): Sarah Kirkpatrick Ryan, Holy Cross — From Adversity to Opportunity: Holy Cross Baseball Returns to Patriot League Playoffs
Runner-up (tie): Mike Brohard, Colorado State — When Personal Best Does Not Net Team Success
Social Justice/Diversity - University Division
Winner: Stan Cole, Campbell — Women’s Empowerment | Destiny Bailey-Perkins
Runner-up (tie): Tim Cary, Miami (Ohio) — Playing for Her People: The Tamar Singer Story
Runner-up (tie): Claire Cruz, Texas Rio Grande Valley — Track & Field Alum Aviana Goode Took a New Perspective to U.S. Olympic Trials
Student Submission - University Division
Winner: Kale Nelson, Southern Utah — It Runs in the Family: Brotherhood Across Teams
Runner-up: Julianne Garnett, Maryland — Honoring 50 Years of Greatness