BEDFORD – WBIW Sports Writer Justin Sokeland will be presented the 2022-23 Distinguished Media Service Award for District 3.
On Tuesday, November 8th, during the BNL Lady Stars Basketball game, Justin will be presented the award by IHSAA Commissioner Paul Neidig and Sports Information Director Jason Wille for his continued efforts in Sports coverage in Southern Indiana.
Over the past 35 years, Justin has covered Indiana High School Sports and IHSAA State Championship events for nearly every sporting event BNL has to offer.
Previously, Sokeland worked as the Indiana high school basketball reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal from 2004-16. He was also a writer and Sports Editor for the Bedford Times-Mail from 1986-2004.
Justin has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years for his reporting, feature writing and column writing from the Associated Press Media Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
And earlier this year, Sokeland was awarded the Distinguished Service Award from the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (IIAAA) for his significant contributions to interscholastic athletics.
Sokeland, 60, is a 1980 graduate of Orleans High School and went on to attend Purdue University and Vincennes University. He and his wife Susan have five adult children – Kyle, Kamden, Kolter, Kollin, and McKenna – and four grandchildren. His oldest son, Kyle, is a high school sports reporter for the Evansville Courier & Press.
This is the 36th year the IHSAA has recognized outstanding members of the Indiana news media from each of its three legislative districts for excellence in the coverage of high school sports. District 3 covers 43 counties across southern Indiana.
Previous award winners are listed here.
