The Daily 49er was recognized for excellence in student media this weekend, taking home eight top prizes at the California College Media Association (CCMA) awards – the most in almost a decade.
Stefan Agregado, Daily 49er photo editor, won first place for best sports photo, best photo series and best news photo for his coverage of the Cal State University Board of Trustees November protests and Long Beach State men’s basketball team.
“After I got [the award] I felt like I did exactly what I set out to do,” Agregado said. “On days like that you feel vindicated.”
Agregado has worked at the Daily 49er for two years and will be graduating this fall.
Cosette Macari, Daily 49er design director; Robbie Eich, Daily 49er cartoons editor; Tracy McDannald, former Daily 49er assistant sports editor and senior editor at goazcats.com; and Kysung Gong, a Daily 49er staff photographer all took home top awards.
Dig Magazine’s Yoon Song also won third place for best magazine story.
Macari won second place for best news page design. Eich took home third place for best cartoon. Gong and McDannald won second place for best news photo and best sports column, respectively.
“I feel really accomplished,” Macari said. “This is my first real recognition as a designer so it’s encouraging to know I’m doing something right.”
Eich was happy to be recognized for doing something he loved.
“I’m pretty stoked all around,” the long-time Daily 49er cartoonist said.
The Daily 49er competed against daily newspapers from across the state in the CCMA’s Division A category.
The Daily Californian took home the award banquet’s top prize, winning first place for general newspaper excellence.
Last month, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded the Daily 49er two prizes in photography.
Agregado won first place for breaking news photography and Steven Carcano, Daily 49er sports photo editor, won first place for best sports photography.
Carcano was recognized for his coverage of the LBSU women’s soccer team’s run up to the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament.
“It’s a good photo,” Carcano said. “It captures the team’s sense of accomplishment.”
The CCMA awards banquet was held at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.