Tribune journalists win APSE honors for coverage, photography

Both gentlemen then covered the game the following day, turning out excellent coverage from an emotional 48 hours for all involved.

“I am proud to see the work that Mike and Tom did that day be recognized in this way,” South Bend Tribune sports editor Austin Hough said. “Covering an event like that is very difficult, but they did a tremendous job of painting a picture of what that day looked like for those living it in-person. The work they did on one of their hardest days of their careers should be commended.”

Berardino, Noie and former WNDU sports coordinator Jackson Neill also placed in the top 10 of Class C/D podcasts for their "Pod of Gold" podcast done throughout the 2025 Notre Dame football season.

Clubb's high-flying day earns him APSE

There's no doubt that one of the top annual local events on the calendar every summer is the RedBud Pro Motocross National. Tens of thousands of people visit Buchanan, Michigan, over July 4th weekend for one of the biggest pro motocross races in the world.

Clubb captured one of the thrills of the event to perfection, with rider Chase Sexton flying through the air while a helicopter hovered in the sky in the background of the frame. The photo beat out nine other finalists in the category.

Here is the winning photo:

This photo of Chase Sexton competing at the 2025 RedBud Pro National MX event, taken by Michael Clubb, earned top honors in the APSE Class C action photo category.

"Michael has done great work since joining the Tribune two years ago, and this award is validation of that," Hough said. "Always finding different and interesting ways to photograph an event, Michael has continued on the great tradition of elite photography that readers of the South Bend Tribune have come to expect over the years."

Clubb was also a finalist in the Class C feature photo category.

Berardino, Noie and Clubb will be recognized at the 2026 APSE Summer Conference banquet July 18 in Arlington, Virginia.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend Tribune wins APSE award for coverage of New Orleans tragedy