A senior UW-Eau Claire broadcast journalism student placed among the top 20 students in the National Hearst Journalism Awards Program radio competition.

Jay Olstad earned 17th place for his stories on an Eau Claire women’s hockey game and an old steam locomotive that was put on the tracks after a year of repairs.

Olstad said the competition’s judging criteria included writing, producing, reporting, sound and presentation.

“The main draw was the sound,” Olstad said of his two stories.

He thinks the sound of the train on the track and the cheering crowd during the hockey game were crucial to his placing in the competition.

The hockey story also won the Wisconsin Broadcaster’s Association Merit Award for sports reporting.

“Mr. Olstad is dedicated to news,” said Henry Lippold, communication and journalism professor and Olstad’s adviser. “He works hard and certainly should go far.”

In past years, several Eau Claire students have placed in the top 20 of the competition, which is open only to schools with accredited journalism programs.

Olstad will receive a certificate for his accomplishment. His name also will be published in a book that will be distributed to schools with submitted entries and to the top 20 people in the competition.

Olstad said he considers the award a great honor but takes it “with a grain of salt.”

“It’s nice to know you’re somewhere in the vicinity of being on track,” Olstad said. “But I’m hesitant to say I’m there, that I don’t have room for improvement.”

Olstad said he reminds himself that many of his stories were not of award-winning quality.

“You continue to improve every day and try to hone your craft,” he said.

Chris Ouellette, news director of WAXX-WAYY radio in Eau Claire, where Olstad works part-time, is a previous Hearst finalist. She said the awards will help open doors for Olstad, but his talent will be the key to his success.

“He’s got what it takes to excel in this business,” Ouellette said. “He’s got the talents, the intellect, everything.”

“Of course, selfishly, I’d like him to stay in radio,” she said. “But a lot of times, unfortunately, they get the TV bug.”

Olstad said he would like to work in television one day, especially in a top-10 market. But he appreciates his radio experience.

“I’ve learned a lot from the university,” Olstad said. “But I can’t stress enough that experience is the key. You couldn’t learn anything in a classroom compared to what I’ve learned at that radio station.”