NJ.com has achieved a historic milestone in sports journalism, earning four first-place awards in the prestigious Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) contest—widely considered the highest honor in the field. This remarkable feat marks the first time NJ.com and its partner, The Star-Ledger, have claimed four individual first-place honors in a single year. What makes it even more impressive is that they competed in the largest circulation category alongside industry giants like The New York Times, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated.

The standout project, "Prey to Play," took the top spot in the Investigative category. This searing series by Matthew Stanmyre and Keith Sargeant exposed widespread, unchecked sexual abuse in youth sports, revealing how supposed safeguards are failing to protect children. The investigation has already earned a Gold Medal for Distinguished Journalism from the New Jersey Association for Justice and a First Amendment award from the New Jersey Press Association, and it was a finalist in the national IRE Awards. For Stanmyre, this marks his fifth APSE first-place win, while Sargeant celebrates his first.

In the Breaking News category, Brian Fonseca and Steve Politi secured first place for uncovering how former Rutgers gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley "lost control" of her program while involved in an undisclosed relationship with former athletic director Pat Hobbs, who later resigned. Their reporting sparked widespread criticism and prompted former Gov. Phil Murphy to call for an independent investigation. Politi now has five APSE first-place wins, while Fonseca earns his first.

Rounding out the awards, Kevin Armstrong took home his first APSE honor for a Short Feature on the Courtside Pub, a 90-year-old bar-and-gym in Clifton that has long been the heart of local pickup games. These wins showcase NJ.com's commitment to powerful storytelling, from hard-hitting investigations to community gems, proving they can go toe-to-toe with the biggest names in sports media.