Joel Bulkley
The Charlotte Hornets are accepting applications for the fourth annual Rick Bonnell Memorial Scholarship. Journalism students enrolled at a North Carolina college or university can apply for the $10,000 scholarship on the Hornets’ website. Applications are being accepted until Jan. 6.
Bonnell, the Charlotte Observer sports reporter who covered the Hornets for more than 33 seasons, died at 63 in 2021. This is the fourth year the Charlotte Hornets Foundation awards the scholarship. The current recipient is Shelby Swanson, a UNC student, and reporter for Charlotte/Raleigh.
Recent award winners from National Sports Media Association of Winston-Salem:
NC Broadcaster of the Year, 2023, Eric Collins, Charlotte Hornet broadcaster for Bally Sports, shared the award with Mike Solarte of Spectrum News/Sports, Charlotte. The 2022 winner was Stan Cotton, Wake Forest sports broadcaster.
NC Sportswriter of Year, Brendan Marks, who covers UNC and Duke for The Athletic. The 2022 winner was Andrew Carter of the N&O.
National Sportscaster of the Year, Kevin Harlon of CBS/ Turner/Westwood One. Ian Eagle of CBS/Westwood won in 2022.
National Sportswriter of the Year, Jeff Passon, baseball writer for espn.com. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic won in 2022.
Best Sports Book Award, 2024, “Why We Love Baseball” by Joe Posnanski.
Best Sports Documentary, 2024, “Beckham,” on Netflix, directed by Fisher Stevens.
Best Sideline Reporter, 2024, Holly Rowe, ESPN.
Best Young Reporter, Wynston Wilcox, Memphis Commercial-Appeal.
Arledge Award for Innovation, Peter Gilbert and Stan James, creators of 1994 docu “Hoop Dreams.”
Woody Durham, 2024, Voice of College Sports Award, Mark Reis, South Illinois University.
Jim Nantz Award, Derryl Barnes, Senior, University of Miami.
Clarence “Big House” Gaines Award, 23-24, Div. 1, Kevin Keatts, N.C. State (M), and Div. 2, Alfred Jordan, Clark Atlanta (M).
Have you checked out The Assembly, a Durham-based digital magazine? They focus mostly on politics, government, food, but had a recent sports story on Puma Elite running club that likes to run on the American Tobacco Trail. The story by Lauren Wingenroth was about an elite running team that grows in the Triangle. Professional runners often train at altitude or in cities with long histories in the sport, but Puma is making the case for N.C.