Professional Awards
2024 — Society For Features Journalism: Division I (First Place): Features Beat Specialty Writing Portfolio
- How a young Matt Rhule found a passion for football in baseball-crazed New York
- Andi’s Ascent: She didn’t want to play volleyball. Now Andi Jackson is the sport’s next best thing
- How C.J. Wilcher lost himself, found faith and became a leader for Nebraska basketball
Judge’s comments: This portfolio features engrossing stories that put readers in the room with the subjects. The stories are marked by excellent details, perfect pacing and clear, well-developed themes.
2024 — Society For Features Journalism: Division I (Second Place): Sports Feature
Judge’s comments: A detail-filled account of how the Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach, Matt Rhule, learned to love football while growing up in baseball-addicted New York City. We witness Rhule’s long commutes to a far-off high school that offered football, his mother’s sweet attempts to help him practice and his belief that growing up in the Big Apple taught him to get along with people from all walks of life.
2024 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Second Place) | Projects
- Part 1: An analysis of the homegrown Huskers who built Nebraska football from within
- Part 2: Amie Just: How an offhand question kickstarted my project, ‘The Cornhusker State’
- Part 3: The Cornhusker State: The ways Nebraska kids fall in love with Husker football
- Part 4: The Cornhusker State: The Nebraska cities and villages that haven’t produced a Husker
- Part 6: The Cornhusker State: As roster limits loom, what is the future for in-state players?
2024 — APSE Top 10: Division C (First Place) | Explanatory
2024 — APSE Top 10: Division C (First Place) | Long Feature
2024 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Eighth Place) | Preps Beat Writing
- Why Jayden Robinson committed to Nebraska volleyball without stepping foot on campus
- Amie Just: No outdoor track access? No excuses. Kearney Catholic’s title hopes are strong anyway.
- Amie Just: While this isn’t what Carter Nelson planned, let’s celebrate his special Ainsworth career
- Amie Just: 4th title for Elkhorn North mother-daughter duo of Ann, Britt Prince ‘meant everything’
2024 — APSE Top 10: Division C (First Place) | Event Coverage
- Amie Just: Dylan Raiola’s special career debut at Nebraska is one his family won’t forget
- Amie Just: With Greg Sharpe back in the booth for Nebraska, all feels right and all feels normal
2024 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Fifth Place) | Breaking News
2023 — Society For Features Journalism: Division I (First Place): Features Beat Specialty Writing Portfolio
JUDGE’S COMMENTS: Wow! This writer is a standout! Whether reeling out a perfect play-by-play or delving into a backstory, she offers just the right amount of detail to make her stories compelling must-reads. She brings her subjects to life — up close and personal — and uncovers heart-grabbing tales. Bravo!
- ‘There’s no freaking way’: Inside Jack Hoffman’s world, 10 years after Spring Game fame
- The Murray family’s story of loss, pride and memories ahead of Ann Arbor match
- How Josiah Allick’s decision to transfer home to Nebraska repaired his relationship with Bekka
2023 — APSE Top 10: Division C (First Place) | Projects
- Nebraska volleyball is the lone public Power 6 women’s program to turn a profit. Here’s why.
- How $50,000 payouts to Volleyball Day in Nebraska participants can make lasting impact
- How much money did Nebraska make off Volleyball Day? A look at the event’s finances
2023 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Second Place) | Columns
- Amie Just: The story behind Peyton Robb’s gnarly leg scars shows wrestler’s strength, courage
- Amie Just: A break-up letter to South Stadium as Nebraska proposes upgrades
- Amie Just: Lincoln East coach John Gingery leaves legacy with many — including me
- Amie Just: Nebraska volleyball’s championship heartbreak already sparking motivation
2023 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Second Place) | Long Feature
2023 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Second Place) | Short Feature
2023 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Seventh Place) | Breaking News
2022 —APSE Top 10: Division C (Fifth Place) | Column Writing
- Amie Just: Scott Frost finally loses AD Trev Alberts to end ‘What if’ of the ages
- Amie Just: Nebraska does the unthinkable in ‘hard to comprehend’ win vs. Creighton
- Amie Just: Over 20 years ago, a sharp comment sparked Husker volleyball’s sellout streak
- Amie Just: Frost clarifies comments, but Husker O-line vomit saga makes me queasy
2022 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Fifth Place) | Long Feature
2022 — APSE Top 10: Division C (First Place) | Explanatory
2022 — APSE Top 10: Division C (Seventh Place) | Breaking News
2022 — APSE Top 10: Division C (First Place) | Event Coverage
- Amie Just: Based on Trev Alberts’ vision, Matt Rhule the perfect fit for Nebraska
- Rapid reaction: Our take from Matt Rhule’s introductory conference
2023 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association (First Place): Pro Feature
JUDGE’S COMMENTS: It was a marvelous behind-the-scenes feature on Sean Payton, letting us know his inner feelings and sentiments preparing for his farewell news conference. We are provided a colorful, detailed look into the man’s soul talking to those who he touched. The details were fascinating, from accidentally taking Ambien instead of his blood pressure medicine to the compassion he showed Demario Davis to his surreal football acumen. It was a fabulous comprehensive look at the man told through voices that made the piece so compelling.
2022 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association (Second Place): Pro Event
2022 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association (Third Place): College Feature
2021 — News Leaders Association’s Al Neuharth Breaking News Reporting Award (Finalist)
The staff of the Times-Picayune was recognized for its coverage of Hurricane Ida. Shifting off of Saints coverage for the weekend, I wrote six articles about widespread power outages, 9-1-1 outages, EMS outages, and loose barges in the Mississippi River. I also floated over to the digital desk and authored several of our emergency text alerts to readers, edited hundreds of breaking news photo cutlines, and helped craft headlines.
2021 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association (First Place): Breaking News
2021 — Press Club of New Orleans (First Place): Best Sports Feature
2021 — Press Club of New Orleans (Third Place): Best Sports Feature
2021 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association (Honorable Mention): Pro Event Coverage
2020 — PFWA’s Bob Oates Beat Writing Award (Third Place):
- News 1: Drew Brees slammed after he says ‘he’ll never agree with’ protests during anthem
- News 2: Saints exploring playing games at LSU’s Tiger Stadium since fans aren’t yet allowed in Superdome
- Feature 1: Demario Davis’ daughter lost her eye to cancer. This is how it changed the Saints linebacker and his family.
- Feature 2: ‘The world is starting to take notice’ of Saints DE Trey Hendrickson. No one close to him is surprised.
- Game Story 1: Alvin Kamara goes ballistic on Christmas and Saints clinch NFC South (again)
- Game Story 2: Using Taysom Hill and run, run, run, Saints throttle QB-less Broncos
- Wild card: Drew Brees injury overview: Collapsed lung, fractured ribs and a look at the recovery time
2021 — Finalist for the Terez A. Paylor Emerging Writer Award, presented by the PFWA
- Presented to an up-and-coming NFL writer who best exemplifies the qualities that made Terez such a respected member of the PFWA family, someone who is passionate about football and the craft of writing, who values building relationships and cares about their colleagues.
2020 — Press Club of New Orleans (First Place): Best Sports Feature
2020 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association
- Breaking News (Third Place):
2019 — APSE Top 10 (Sixth Place): Division A | Beat Reporting
- Saints QB Drew Brees to have surgery to repair torn ligament in thumb, expected to miss 6 weeks
- Drew Brees’ early return, Teddy Bridgewater’s superb relief show Saints’ moxie in win vs. Cardinals
- How is Drew Brees brushing his teeth already? A look inside the Saints QB’s procedure
- For Demario Davis, it was faith that saved this Saints linebacker: ‘My heart changed’
- For 12 Saints, hundreds in NFL camps, small-school road makes for uphill climb: ‘Patience is key’
2019 — Louisiana Sports Writers Association:
- College Event (First Place):
- Pro Features (Third Place):
- Pro Event (Honorable Mention):
2019 — Press Club of New Orleans (Second Place): Best Sports Feature
2019 — Louisiana Press Association (First Place): Breaking News Reporting
- Small plane crash in south Lafayette kills 5 passengers; see latest details from officials
- Carley McCord, killed in Lafayette plane crash, known as a kind person, fierce worker
- Carley McCord, sports reporter and Steve Ensminger’s daughter-in-law, killed in Lafayette plane crash
2018 — APSE Top 10 (Second Place): Division D | Beat Reporting
- Arlee Warriors, Scarlets to move up to Class B
- Missoula Hellgate ends football win drought after 2,177 days
- ‘This is for Two Eagle:’ Arlee’s suicide awareness campaign about more than just basketball
- ‘Through hell and back:’ Columbia Falls running star in race of her life against cancer
- Sentinel’s Shelby Schweyen shines at AA track/field divisionals
2018 — APSE Top 10 (Fourth Place): Division D | Features
2018 — Montana Newspaper Association (Second Place): Sports Features
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Collegiate — National and Regional Individual Awards
2017 — SPJ Region 7 Mark of Excellence Finalist — Online Sports Reporting
2017 — Second Place Pinnacle Award — Sports Multimedia Story
2017 — APSE Top 10 (Sixth Place): Student Contest Portfolio
- Darreon Jackson commits to Kansas after alleged sexual assault at Boise State
- Off-the-court Kansas basketball news affects fans’ perceptions
- Five years later: The final Border War
- A timeline: Frank Mason III’s award-winning senior season
- Josh Jackson’s suspension derails Kansas in Big 12 tournament
2016 — Writer of the Year Finalist (Great Plains Media)
2015 — Jim Murray Memorial Award
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Collegiate — National, Regional Awards as an Editor
2017 — Third Place Pinnacle Award — Best Special Section
2017 — Third Place Pinnacle Award — Best Viral Video
2017 — Pinnacle Award Finalist — Best Social Media Presence
2017 — SPJ Region 7 Mark of Excellence Finalist — Best Affiliated Website
2016 — CMBAM First Place — Best Special Section
Amie Just 