TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES
LSU’s Shakespearean shakeup in the athletic department over a bloody final days of October last year dominated the winning entries in the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) writing contest results announced Sunday in Natchitoches to conclude the gala Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame/LSWA convention weekend.
Tiger Rag editor Glenn Guilbeau won a first place in the Class I Breaking News division with his account of LSU athletic director Scott Woodward’s firing of LSU football coach Brian Kelly on Sunday, Oct. 26, four days before Woodward himself was fired.
The winning entry appears below:
“While LSU’s decision to fire Brian Kelly was one of the biggest sports stories in Louisiana in 2025, this article takes advantage of deep institutional knowledge and sourcing—anonymous or otherwise—to paint as comprehensive a picture as possible,” LSU senior associate communications director and LSWA officer Kent Lowe said, reading the comments from a panel of out of state judges.
“It includes tidbits about what Kelly’s exit will entail, the university’s athletic director’s hiring record and whether he will play a role in finding Kelly’s replacement,” the judge wrote. “This is a very well-reported and well-written piece that takes well-trodden territory to a new place.”
Tiger Rag president Jim Engster and executive editor Todd Horne delivered key source information to Guilbeau for the story.
The story also identified Lane Kiffin as the lead candidate to replace Kelly, which is what happened. And the story stressed via sources that Kelly was going to get his $54 million buyout, which he eventually did while many other media reports for weeks had Kelly not receiving the buyout.
Piper Hutchinson of the Louisiana Illuminator and Tiger Rag finished second in Breaking News with her story on how LSU swimming and diving head coach Rick Bishop and assistant Leah Stancil allegedly bullied athletes and “made life hell,” according to athletes’ exit interviews received by Hutchinson via public record requests. Stancil was later not retained by LSU. Bishop remains.
That story appears below:
On3.com writer Wilson Alexander, formerly of the Baton Rouge Advocate, finished third in Breaking News for his story on LSU’s interest in hiring Kiffin that was published on Nov. 17.
Kelly’s firing was again the topic for the first place winner in Class I College Features by Alexander, who took a deep dive into what led to Kelly’s ouster in the Baton Rouge Advocate on Nov. 2.
Brian Kelly had never been fired as a head coach. What went wrong for him at LSU?
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) November 2, 2025
Spoke to 15 people involved in the team about what it was like the past four years.
Inside his LSU tenure: https://t.co/imTHuOcwGF pic.twitter.com/OOl4Bg8uTs
“I love the honest, comprehensive breakdown of how it went down and how it all went wrong with this situation, backed by some powerful quotes that say plenty,” the category judge wrote. “The writer did well to put together everything needed to explain and support the disappointment and weird nature of the Kelly tenure at LSU. There is a lot of detailed storytelling that makes the reader be a part of the experience and the eventual outcome. I appreciate the major execution on such a big college story.”
Alexander also won Beat Writer of the Year.
The Only-In-Louisiana behavior of Governor Jeff Landry around, in and behind the firings of Kelly and Woodward won Shreveport-Bossier Journal columnist and former Tiger Rag editor Ron Higgins a first place in Class I college columns.
Under the headline, “Landry’s Involvement Perpetuates ‘Waterboy’ Perception,” Higgins went after Landry on Oct. 30.
“An excellent example of speaking truth to power,” the judge wrote. “Columns like this were an important reminder to audiences during the coach/athletic director drama at LSU that nothing is as inconvenient to politicians and other leaders as facts. Well reported, well written.”
Tiger Rag’s Guilbeau finished second for his Halloween column on why LSU Board of Supervisor leaders Scott Ballard and John Carmouche should have worn clown and cheerleader costumes to a press conference announcing new LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry, who seemed understandably uncomfortable between them.
And Scooter Hobbs of the Lake Charles American Press took honorable mention in the category for a column about how “nobody likes a good political football circus more than LSU” on Nov. 5.
In Broadcast Awards, Matt Moscona of 104.5 FM in Baton Rouge took two first places – Best Radio Show Host, along with his producers Matt Musso and Paul O’Neil, and Best Interview.
“Radio is all about generating urgency with the audience, and this show does that regardless of the topic,” the judge said.
Moscona’s winning interview was of the late LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy’s father Kenny and Kyren’s attorney Matthew Ory.
“Really well done interview where the host got out of the way and let the guest’s words and emotions tell the story,” the judge said. “Not an easy interview and the host did exactly what was needed.”
Harrison Valentine of the LSU Sports Information Department won three first places in the basketball, football and gymnastics release categories. His basketball winner was on the introductory press conference of LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade.
“It’s absolute talent when a writer writes a lede that perfectly sets the table for the reader,” the contest judge wrote. “This category winner nailed it. He wrote, ‘An introductory press conference for a guy that needs no introduction.”
LSU Sports Information Department veterans Michael Bonnette (football), Kent Lowe (men’s basketball) and Bill Franques (baseball) won first place for Best Podcast.
“I chose the winner because the conversations were entertaining and seemed natural,” the judge said. “I thought the conversation with Jacob Hester (former LSU running back and Baton Rouge 104.5 FM radio show host) was extremely entertaining and insightful. I also enjoyed the Christmas discussion, because it did bring back a lot of memories from my own childhood. We also had a fake tree.”
Among the other top winners was Columnist of the Year Raymond Partsch of ESPN/Southwest Louisiana and Sports Writer of the year Roy Lang of the Shreveport/Bossier City Advocate.
And Louisiana Radio Network news and sports director Jeff Palermo and Wayde Kieser received an Honorable Mention in the Best Live TV Event for their play-by-play coverage of the Shaw-St. Charles football game.
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