BOCA RATON, Fla. – Bethune-Cookman University Athletics Senior Writer Dan Ryan garnered two awards in the Florida Press Club's 2019 Excellence in Journalism Competition Saturday night.

Newspapers and media organizations around the state were represented in the annual event honoring the best in Florida journalism during the 2018-19 year. The gala was held at the Waterstone Resort & Marina, featuring special guest John Grogan, a former Fort Lauderdale News and Sun Sentinel reporter and international bestselling author whose book "Marley and Me" sold eight million copies and was made into a movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Anniston.
 
Ryan brought home second place for Class C Sports Column and for Class B Sports Writing. It's the second consecutive he's been a finalist in each category and won the columnist first place award last year.
  
"There's the satisfaction in having my work being considered at an elite level two straight years, but I'm going to be honest – I wanted that repeat," Ryan said. "Still, a great evening to reconnect with longtime colleagues and amazing journalists, compare experiences, and represent B-CU. To tell the story of our student-athletes to me is a calling, and I appreciate Vice President of Athletics Lynn W. Thompson continuing to push me to maintain the highest standards of work."

The veteran sportswriter's column entry consisted of "What Would Suber Do," an August football write delving into Offensive Coordinator Allen Suber's pass completion percentage being 10-15 points lower than the quarterbacks he's currently coaching; "Going Back Home" chronicling B-CU Women's Basketball Coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis' jersey retirement ceremony at Mount St. Mary's and "Championship Trophy Was The Only Hardware That Mattered" telling the story of the Lady Wildcats' injury-plagued run to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference basketball tournament championship.

For sportswriting, Ryan submitted game stories from the women's tennis team semifinal upset of Florida A&M at the MEAC tournament,  a December men's basketball story about sixth-man Wali Parks' crucial three-pointer that led to a quality win over Florida Atlantic and a spring football scrimmage recap highlighting wide receiver Darryl Powell Jr.

"Dan's writing has matured into full-blown story telling that paints the picture of Wildcat athletics," Thompson said. "He sees beyond the stats and delivers both a unique voice and perspective regardless of the sport which allows the reader a look inside the program they otherwise could never experience."."

Earlier this year, Ryan was  a district winner in the 2018-19 CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest for a column that chronicled the reactions of the 2018 B-CU Athletic Hall of Fame inductees finding out they were to be enshrined.

All of Ryan's writing selections can be seen on the official BCU Athletics website (bcuathletics.com).