Gray, Wahl lead Bell Ringer awards haul

Staff report

Bell Ringer sports editor Justin Gray has won a Georgia Press Association award, and colleague CM Wahl has pulled down a similar award from the Georgia College Press Association.

Gray won the GPA reporting award for his coverage of high school football for The Augusta Press last fall. He covered a variety of teams from the CSRA, including perhaps the best Lakeside team in program history. He will receive his award next month at the GCA’s annual conference at Jekyll Island.

Wahl, who served as news editor of the Bell Ringer in Fall 2024, took third place in the GCPA Better Newspaper contest for her reporting on human trafficking.

Gray’s sports section finished third in the GCPA Community Service in Sports category behind The Red & Black at the University of Georgia and The Spectator at Valdosta State University.

In the Southern Regional Press Institute contest, hosted by Savannah State University, the Bell Ringer’s Lydia Williams took both first and second place in feature photography for her coverage of AU volleyball and basketball.

In the at same competition, Cody Robertson was second in feature reporting for his story on the stigma of wearing tattoos.

The Bell Ringer finished second overall for best website in the SRPI contest.

Wahl also won for her documentary film about school preparedness in a contest sponsored by the Gwinnett County Library.

Gray, Wahl, Williams and Robertson all graduated with degrees in communication on May 9 in the commencement ceremony at the Marriott Convention Center in downtown Augusta.