Three of UCA’s student media outlets – The Echo, The Scroll and News6 – won over 90 awards at the 2026 Arkansas College Media Association awards hosted at Arkansas Tech University April 10. 

The Echo won first place in Newspaper of the Year and third place in Website of the Year. 

Junior political science major and news editor of The Echo, Mary Lyle, won Reporter of the Year. 

“It’s really nice to be part of a staff that has supported me through my reporting career and has supported all the articles I’ve written,” Lyle said. “It’s not just me winning. It’s everybody who has supported me; it’s everybody on staff winning because we wouldn’t be able to win anything without each other.”

Sophomore linguistics major and campus life editor of The Echo, Meredith Lipsey, won Photographer of the Year.

News6 won first place in TV Station of the Year. 

“It feels amazing [to win] because we haven’t won in like three years,” sophomore journalism major and News6 news director, Mecca Walls, said. “It was nice to know that even without a broadcast we’re still able to know that we’re headed in the right direction.”

The Scroll won third place in Yearbook of the Year. 

The Scroll won 19 awards in the yearbook category. 

• First place in feature photo for “RSO Divider” (Harley Walls)
• First place in student life photo for “Bid Day Bliss” (Stefani Mojica)
• First place in academics photo for “New Arrivals” (Harley Walls)
• Second place in art/illustration for “What’s on the Menu” (Josh Barham)
• Third place in divider for “RSO Divider” (Harley Walls)
• Third place in art/illustration for “Bears in Blue” (Josh Barham)
• Third place in layout-organization/Greek for “Puppy Love is the Best Love” (Stefani Mojica)
• Third place in academic layout for “When Bears Fly!” (Grace Browning)
• Third place in feature layout for “The Lookbook – A Year of Fits” (Ellie Graves)
• Third place in introduction theme page/opening for “No Limits” (Harley Walls)
• Third place in special features writing for “Going Out in (AP) Style – David Keith” (Harley Walls)
• Third place in cover for “No Limits” (Scroll Staff)
• Third place in feature photo for “Campus Life Divider” (Harley Walls)
• Third place in student life photo for “Brotherhood Begins” (Stefani Mojica)
• Third place in writing-organization/Greek for “One BIG Team” (Grace Browning)
• Honorable mention in academic layout for “Grace, Poise, and Purpose: Miss UCA” (Emily Roesch)
• Honorable mention in special features writing for “Through His Lens – Jhude Dizon” (David Green)
• Honorable mention in student life photo for “Butterfly Bliss” (Harley Walls)
• Honorable mention in sports layout for “Fear the Claws” (Valeria Ramirez)

The Echo won 28 awards in the newspaper category and 20 awards in the online category.

In the newspaper category, The Echo won:

• First place in headlines for “Participants get awfully crafty” (Torrie Herrington)
• First place in editorial writing for “Snap cuts threaten Arkansas” (Vivian Phillips)
• First place in editorial cartoon for “UCA defends student media” (Vivian Phillips)
• First place in sports photo for “Governors rule over Bears, 73-71” (Meredith Lipsey)
• First place in sports story for “Baseball bags in-state victory” (Vivian Phillips)
• First place in in-depth news for “Professor accused of misconduct” (Torrie Herrington)
• First place in sports feature for “Pavatt talks balance, motherhood, athletics” (Dylan Hardin)
• First place in feature page layout for “Lifestyle Issue 9” (Harper Phillips)
• First place in feature photo for “StepAfrika! brings rhythm to UCA’s stage” (Meredith Lipsey)
• First place in election/political for “Students protest MAGA policies” (Kathleen Armstrong)
• Second place in personality profile for “Happy Aura transforms vibe into color” (Gabe White)
• Second place in editorial writing for “MAHA is not healthy” (Vivian Phillips)
• Second place in meeting/speech for “City council passes fire department ordinances” (Grahl Pruitt)
• Second place in general column for “Rise of PEDs and fair games” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Second place in news photo for “Protest takes to state capitol” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Second place in editorial cartoon for “History’s rhetoric is repeating” (Vivian Phillips)
• Second place in sports story for “Sugar Bears slay Queens to extend winning streak” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Second place in feature layout for “Lifestyle Issue 8” (Harper Phillips)
• Second place in review writing for “Del Toro reimagines ‘Frankenstein’” (Mary LeSieur)
• Third place in editorial writing for “Democracy is still in our hands” (Vivian Phillips)
• Third place in meeting/speech for “Council approves no-kill funding” (Grahl Pruitt)
• Third place in editorial cartoon for “Graduating into the unknown” (Vivian Phillips)
• Third place in sports page layout for “Issue 8” (Mary LeSieur)
• Third place in sports story for “UCA avenges Knights” (Regan Lucero)
• Honorable mention in meeting/speech for “Court approves library budget” (Mary Lyle)
• Honorable mention in news photo for “Arkansans protest policies” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Honorable mention in front page layout for “Issue 8” (Mary Lyle)
• Honorable mention in review writing for “‘Nickel Boys’ offers unique perspectives” (Gabe White)

In the online category, The Echo won:

• First place in in-depth reporting for “Brown tap water in Sheridan” (Vivian Phillips)
• First place in editorials/commentary/blogs for “Title IX strategy needs work” (Mary Lyle)
• First place in sports photo for “Track & field builds outdoor momentum” (Meredith Lipsey)
• First place in personality profile for “Echo adviser, journalism professor to retire” (Mary LeSieur)
• First place in feature writing for “Church adds Little Rock twist to Mediterranean dishes” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Second place in election/political for “Riley Gaines, Governor Sanders visit campus” (Mary Lyle)
• Second place in editorials/commentary/blogs for “Academia faces new threat” (Mary Lyle)
• Second place in news photo for “Protestors rally in front of State capitol” (Sam McCullar)
• Second place in sports photo for “Basketball star shares memories from sport” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Second place in newswriting for “Nonprofit faces funding loss” (Mary Lyle)
• Second place in personality profile for “Honors student runs for office” (Mackenzie Hicks)
• Second place in meeting/speech coverage for “Hearing over fired Conway officer continues on” (Mary Lyle)
• Second place in reviews-arts & entertainment for “‘The Gorge’ creates genre amalgamation” (Gabe White)
• Third place in sports photos for “Bears stomp Bisons in series sweep” (Meredith Lipsey)
• Third place in articles-arts & entertainment for “Artist etches spooky designs” (Vivian Phillips)
• Third place in personality profile for “Dr. Vaughn Scribner acquires national book award” (Ellie Matthews)
• Third place in meeting/speech coverage for “Conway navigating new ordinance” (Grahl Pruitt)
• Honorable mention in election/political for “Supreme Court denied petition to overturn Obergefell V. Hodges case” (Calee Goble)
• Honorable mention in meeting/speech coverage for “SGA ends year on odd note” (Grahl Pruitt)
• Honorable mention in reviews-arts & entertainment for “McRae explores sensitive themes” (Harper Phillips)

News6 won 16 awards in the television category.

• First place in sports feature for “CJ Clemmons and the Morrilton Basketball Team” (Ashtyn Henderson)
• First place in political coverage for “School Board Race” (Ethan Granniss)
• First place in news reporting for “Toe 2 Toe Conway” (Violet Garcia)
• First place in breaking news for “ICE at Hendrix” (Ryan Harmon, Elizabeth Seymour)
• First place in weather for “Conway Power Outage” (Elizabeth Seymour)
• First place in continuing coverage for “Conway city officials hold press conference following April mass shooting” (Ethan Granniss)
• First place in sports reporting for “UCA Football Draft” (Kaden Alzate, Will Smith, Ashley Clark)
• Second place in sports feature for “1825 Disc Golf” (Rodney Rodgers)
• Second place in political coverage for “State Legislation” (Alan Godwin)
• Second place in news reporting for “Arkansas Craft Guild Christmas Showcase” (Violet Garcia)
• Second place in weather for “Conway Flooding” (Rodney Rodgers)
• Second place in continuing coverage for “Conway Mass Shooting” (Ethan Granniss, Jacob Schowe)
• Second place in sports reporting for “New Arkansas law allows state colleges to receive funding through raffles” (Ethan Granniss)
• Third place in sports feature for “Race for Grace” (Ashley Clark)
• Honorable mention in feature for “Fiddler on the Roof” (Rodney Rodgers)
• Honorable mention in news reporting for “Switch 2 Release” (Jacob Schowe, Violet Garcia)