Contact: Alexandra McDaniel

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State students’ dynamic skills are known as “best in the country” after three broadcasters from WMSV—MSU’s radio station—won first place in the nation for Best Sports Talk Program at the 2024 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System convention in New York City earlier this semester.

Senior communication major Elizabeth Keen of Vicksburg, communication graduate student Tanner Marlar of Corinth and May 2023 graduate Aaliyan Mohammed of Collierville, Tennessee, won the award for their entry “Maroon and White Tonight.”

“From a pilot class in sports announcing, they took the initiative to create, produce and host their program on WMSV,” said Terry Likes, professor and head of the Department of Communication. “We are proud of their accomplishment.”

Three additional IBS award finalists include recent graduates Olivia Beck of Dothan, Alabama—Best Newscast for “WMSV Update”—and Amelia Middleton of Hernando—Best Campus/Community News for “Chat GPT Tempts College Students.” The MSU TV Center was a finalist for Best Commercial/Promotion with “MSU Softball Support.”

The IBS, founded in 1940, is a volunteer-run organization that supports students, faculty and staff of college and high school media outlets. This year, it boasted more than 3,000 entries in the annual competition.

For more details about MSU’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Communication, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.comm.msstate.edu.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.