KXCV’s Tritten is state broadcasting award recipient for second consecutive year

KXCV's Tritten is state broadcasting award recipient for second consecutive year

For the second consecutive year, a staff member at Northwest Missouri State University's National Public Radio affiliate, KXCV-KRNW, earned a top award for sports reporting from the Missouri Broadcasters Association.

Matt Tritten, the radio station's program director and broadcast voice of the radio affiliate's Bearcat Radio Network, was presented with the first-place award for Best Sports Report in Small Market Radio on June 6 during the association's annual convention in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Tritten won the award for his coverage of Maryville native Jalen Sundell's appearance in the NFL's most recent Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.

"Matt's success is a testament to the hard work and passion he brings to our coverage every day," KXCV-KRNW Director and Station Manager John Coffey said. "To be recognized by the Missouri Broadcasters Association with a second straight Best Sports Report award is an outstanding achievement. He consistently finds stories that connect with listeners and highlights the people behind the games. We're fortunate to have him on our team, and I couldn't be happier to see his work recognized by the Missouri Broadcasters Association."

Each year, the Missouri Broadcasters Association receives about 900 award entries in more than 30 categories. Awards are given for first place and second place.

Tritten joined KXCV-KRNW in 2017 as an underwriting sales associate and transitioned to the program director role in April. He began his broadcast career with KQTV in St. Joseph, where he advanced to sports director and received a Missouri Broadcasters Association award for his coverage of the Kansas City Royals' World Series appearance in 2014. He also spent a year as assistant general manager of the St. Joseph Mustangs summer collegiate baseball team.

At KXCV, Tritten has spearheaded a community-based partnership with the launch of the Spoofhound Radio Network in 2022. He also created KXCV's annual Run for Radio, a virtual 5k to support local public radio that draws runners from throughout the world to raise funding support for KXCV-KRNW.

The weekend convention also included the MBA's Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Coffey and the late Sharon Bonnett were honored as part of the 2026 class on June 5.

"I'm deeply honored to be inducted into the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame, and it's even more special to share that recognition with Sharon Bonnett," Coffey said. "Sharon's leadership helped shape KXCV-KRNW into what it is today, and she played a pivotal role in my own career. It was a wonderful night not just for us, but for KXCV-KRNW and Northwest Missouri State University. These recognitions are a testament to the many students, staff, alumni and supporters who have contributed to the station's success over the years."

About KXCV-KRNW

Launched in 1971 as the first full-power public radio service in Missouri, KXCV (90.5 FM), a 100,000-watt NPR affiliate, provides in-depth news and information with an alternative music format. All of KXCV's programming emanates from the Northwest campus, while a sister station, KRNW (88.9), founded in 1993, extends the radio programming across most of the northern 25 percent of Missouri.

As the flagship of the Bearcat Radio Network, KXCV produces all Northwest football and basketball broadcasts and game feeds to commercial radio affiliates throughout the four-state region. KXCV-KRNW programming also is accessible online at www.kxcv.org and via its Bearcat Public Media App.

Since its inception, KXCV has served as a training ground for Northwest students interested in broadcasting. The dual mission of serving listeners and training students remains foremost in the KXCV-KRNW mission.

For information about KXCV-KRNW and supporting public radio through a membership, visit https://www.kxcv.org or call 660.562.1163.