The Austin American-Statesman received nearly two dozen honors in multiple categories from Texas Managing Editors during its annual journalism conference this weekend in El Paso, including top recognition for its coverage of the July 4 floods.
The Statesman and the Hearst-owned San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle received the Star Breaking News Report of the Year for their joint reporting on the floods that judges said included “very detailed stories that made the victims real and not just a number.”
The publications partnered on the coverage about three months after Hearst purchased the Statesman. The Statesman was the first to confirm the scope of the devastation, including that children were missing from Camp Mystic, while the Express-News quickly had reporters in the disaster zone. The Chronicle mobilized teams of data specialists and investigative reporters that examined lapses that contributed to the death toll.
The Statesman also received four additional first-place honors: Entertainment editor Deborah Sengupta Stith for comment and criticism reporting; Latino communities reporter Emiliano Tahui Gómez for sports feature for his story on youth boxing; Karoline Leonard for business reporting for her work on the emergence of data centers in Central Texas; and the Statesman visuals staff for photojournalism. The visuals team also received an honorable mention for news photography.
Investigative reporter Tony Plohetski was honored as a second-place Star Reporter of the Year for a body of work in 2025 and also received second-place honors for community service reporting with metro editor Kiah Collier for their examination of missed indictment deadlines in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
Photojournalist Jay Janner received second-place honors as Star Photojournalist of the Year for a photography portfolio and second- and third-place recognition for feature photography.
The Statesman also received second-place honors for its team effort that included Plohetski and reporters Ella McCarthy, Alex Driggars, Abby Church and Chaya Tong for their examination of discretionary spending at Austin City Hall — coverage that also received an honorable mention for community service reporting. Photojournalist Sara Diggins received second place for sports photography, and Plohetski, reporter Keri Heath and Managing Editor Andy Sevilla also received a second place for deadline writing for their coverage of July 5 flooding in Travis County.
The Statesman staff received third place for Newsroom of the Year.
Editorial page editor Bridget Grumet received third place for editorial writing and an honorable mention for Star Opinion Writer of the Year, and trending and dining reporter Ana Gutierrez received third place honors for feature writing. Sports columnist Cedric Golden received third place for sports column writing, and sports writer David Eckert received third place for the Celeste Williams Star Sportswriter of the Year.
“I am so proud of our entire newsroom for being honored by the Texas Managing Editors. Our mission in 2025 was to elevate our reporting and coverage of Austin and Central Texas, hold those in power accountable and tell the stories affecting our neighbors,” Statesman Editor-in-Chief Courtney Sebesta said. “Being recognized by our peers in the industry is fantastic, but to give our community a voice and provide an outlet for information is what we strive for daily.”