2025 aUdio WINNERS
OVERALL AUDIO EXCELLENCE AWARD: KWAR, WARTBURG COLLEGE & KBVU, BueNA VISTA UNIVERSITY
Best Air or Podcast Personality
1st Place- Wartburg College, KWAR, Finding Whimsy with Makenna, Makenna Kammerer
2nd Place- Wartburg College, KWAR, Throwbacks Hit Harder, Christopher Guerrero
3rd Place- Wartburg College, KWAR, Inside Scoop, Addy Wells
Best Promo or PSA
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Misinformation PSA, Carter Soyer
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, Calling into KWAR, Landon Jepson, Makenna Kammerer
3rd Place- Wartburg College - KWAR, Knockout Mels, Jace Holz
Hon. Mention- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Gun Safety PSA, Matthew Forristal
Best Newscast
1st Place- Wartburg College - Knight Vision, Knight Vision Sports, Landon Jepson, Addison Wells, Ali Parkhurst, Jace Holz, Becca Payne, Joe Hansen
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, KWAR Christmas with Wartburg News Update, Makenna Kammerer
3rd Place- Wartburg College- Knight Vision, Knight Vision News April 11, 2025, Landon Jepson, Joziphene Luneckas-Broomhall, Ali Parkhurst, Joe Hansen, Tyler Birch
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, News Update, Jace Holz
Best News Programming
1st Place- Wartburg College - Knight Vision, Knight Vision Sports, Winter Sports Wrap-Up Special, Landon Jepson, Jax Caddell, Addison Wells, Caleb Kammerer, Christopher Guerrero, Zach Hiney
2nd Place- Wartburg College - Knight Vision, Knight Vision News, Election Coverage 2024, Landon Jepson, Joziphene Luneckas-Broomhall, Tyler Birch, Annette Baker, Addie Nabholz, Keziah Ambundo
3rd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Ruth Shively -BVU artist-in-residence, Rachel Huisinga
Hon. Mention- Grand View University- Viewfinder Media, Managing Life, Brianna Peterson
Best Show (entertainment)
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, The 5-6-7-8 Show: Episode 1, Matthew Forristal
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, For the Republic, Caleb Kammerer, Hayden McCormac, Makenna Kammerer
3rd Place- Wartburg College-, KWAR, Movie Mania, Alyson Hasner
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, Getting by with Lauren & Ali, Ali Parkhurst, Lauren Simpson
Best Sports Broadcast
1st Place- St. Ambrose University- SAU vs. Western Illinois Univ - Men's Basketball, Ryan Schiestel, Luke Vera
2nd Place- Saint Ambrose University- SAU vs. William Woods Football, Chris Boone, Collen Mauga
3rd Place- Saint Ambrose University- SAU vs. ONU -Women's Soccer Conference Championship, Ryan Schiestel, Jorge Brizuela
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, Janesville v. Riceville, Christopher Guerrero
Best Sports Program
1st Place- Saint Ambrose University- Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Ryan Schiestel, Luke Vera, AJ Tappa
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, LJ's Slam & Jam, Landon Jepson
3rd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, Beyond the ARV, Jax Caddell
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, 0-1, Caleb Kammerer, Kayden Johnson
Best Audio Feature Package
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Unpaused: The growth of the BVU esports team, Lauren McCoy
2nd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Agpocalypse, Emelia Jacobs
3rd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVURuth Shively - BVU artist-in-residence, Rachel Huisinga
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, DEI Programs, Cyrah Isa Mogoba
Best Long-form Audio Package
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Mental health is up to bat: Student athlete mental health at BVU, Carter Soyer
2nd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Diversity deletion and how it affects free speech, Johnathan Maffucci
3rd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, ETK, Jace Holz
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, Outfly Afternoon 2025, Christopher Guerrero, Landon Jepson
Best Podcast Series
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, TH3 M0NK3Y'5 P4W, Johnathan Maffucci, Matthew Forristal, Carter Soyer, Aydan Guenther
2nd Place- Saint Ambrose University, Healthy Habits - Episode 2, The Sugar Shift, Sydnee Horstman
3rd Place- Simpson College- KSTM-FM29, Beyond the A-R-C - Howes, Rob Howes, Frank Novak
Hon. Mention- Buena Vista University- KBVU, I am Steve - The Palest Garden and the Spookies Herobrine, Lauren McCoy
Creative Audio
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, TIMBER, Matthew Forristal
2nd Place- Buena Vista University-KBVU, The Yellow Wallpaper, Dee Merriman, Jacob Kriewald, Madison Savick, Jahir Monge
3rd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVUTH3 M0NK3Y'5 P4W, Johnathan Maffucci, Matthew Forristal, Aydan Guenther, Carter Soyer
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College, KWAR, Haunted Campus, Landon Jepson
1st Place- Wartburg College, KWAR, Finding Whimsy with Makenna, Makenna Kammerer
2nd Place- Wartburg College, KWAR, Throwbacks Hit Harder, Christopher Guerrero
3rd Place- Wartburg College, KWAR, Inside Scoop, Addy Wells
Best Promo or PSA
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Misinformation PSA, Carter Soyer
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, Calling into KWAR, Landon Jepson, Makenna Kammerer
3rd Place- Wartburg College - KWAR, Knockout Mels, Jace Holz
Hon. Mention- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Gun Safety PSA, Matthew Forristal
Best Newscast
1st Place- Wartburg College - Knight Vision, Knight Vision Sports, Landon Jepson, Addison Wells, Ali Parkhurst, Jace Holz, Becca Payne, Joe Hansen
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, KWAR Christmas with Wartburg News Update, Makenna Kammerer
3rd Place- Wartburg College- Knight Vision, Knight Vision News April 11, 2025, Landon Jepson, Joziphene Luneckas-Broomhall, Ali Parkhurst, Joe Hansen, Tyler Birch
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, News Update, Jace Holz
Best News Programming
1st Place- Wartburg College - Knight Vision, Knight Vision Sports, Winter Sports Wrap-Up Special, Landon Jepson, Jax Caddell, Addison Wells, Caleb Kammerer, Christopher Guerrero, Zach Hiney
2nd Place- Wartburg College - Knight Vision, Knight Vision News, Election Coverage 2024, Landon Jepson, Joziphene Luneckas-Broomhall, Tyler Birch, Annette Baker, Addie Nabholz, Keziah Ambundo
3rd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Ruth Shively -BVU artist-in-residence, Rachel Huisinga
Hon. Mention- Grand View University- Viewfinder Media, Managing Life, Brianna Peterson
Best Show (entertainment)
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, The 5-6-7-8 Show: Episode 1, Matthew Forristal
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, For the Republic, Caleb Kammerer, Hayden McCormac, Makenna Kammerer
3rd Place- Wartburg College-, KWAR, Movie Mania, Alyson Hasner
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, Getting by with Lauren & Ali, Ali Parkhurst, Lauren Simpson
Best Sports Broadcast
1st Place- St. Ambrose University- SAU vs. Western Illinois Univ - Men's Basketball, Ryan Schiestel, Luke Vera
2nd Place- Saint Ambrose University- SAU vs. William Woods Football, Chris Boone, Collen Mauga
3rd Place- Saint Ambrose University- SAU vs. ONU -Women's Soccer Conference Championship, Ryan Schiestel, Jorge Brizuela
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, Janesville v. Riceville, Christopher Guerrero
Best Sports Program
1st Place- Saint Ambrose University- Unsportsmanlike Conduct, Ryan Schiestel, Luke Vera, AJ Tappa
2nd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, LJ's Slam & Jam, Landon Jepson
3rd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, Beyond the ARV, Jax Caddell
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, 0-1, Caleb Kammerer, Kayden Johnson
Best Audio Feature Package
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Unpaused: The growth of the BVU esports team, Lauren McCoy
2nd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Agpocalypse, Emelia Jacobs
3rd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVURuth Shively - BVU artist-in-residence, Rachel Huisinga
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, DEI Programs, Cyrah Isa Mogoba
Best Long-form Audio Package
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Mental health is up to bat: Student athlete mental health at BVU, Carter Soyer
2nd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, Diversity deletion and how it affects free speech, Johnathan Maffucci
3rd Place- Wartburg College- KWAR, ETK, Jace Holz
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College- KWAR, Outfly Afternoon 2025, Christopher Guerrero, Landon Jepson
Best Podcast Series
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, TH3 M0NK3Y'5 P4W, Johnathan Maffucci, Matthew Forristal, Carter Soyer, Aydan Guenther
2nd Place- Saint Ambrose University, Healthy Habits - Episode 2, The Sugar Shift, Sydnee Horstman
3rd Place- Simpson College- KSTM-FM29, Beyond the A-R-C - Howes, Rob Howes, Frank Novak
Hon. Mention- Buena Vista University- KBVU, I am Steve - The Palest Garden and the Spookies Herobrine, Lauren McCoy
Creative Audio
1st Place- Buena Vista University- KBVU, TIMBER, Matthew Forristal
2nd Place- Buena Vista University-KBVU, The Yellow Wallpaper, Dee Merriman, Jacob Kriewald, Madison Savick, Jahir Monge
3rd Place- Buena Vista University- KBVUTH3 M0NK3Y'5 P4W, Johnathan Maffucci, Matthew Forristal, Aydan Guenther, Carter Soyer
Hon. Mention- Wartburg College, KWAR, Haunted Campus, Landon Jepson
