RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The 8News team brought home eight Virginia's Associated Press Broadcasters awards on Saturday, including three first-place honors. 8News submitted news content produced in 2023 for consideration in the contest, which includes broadcast news operations in Virginia and West Virginia. Our team came in first place for Best Spot News, Best Station Promo and Best Producer -- the final of those was awarded to Executive Producer, Katie Wells. Our team came in second place in five categories including Best Continuing News, Best Team Coverage, Best Old Dominion Heritage and Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias. Additionally, we snagged yet another Best Producer win, this time for Executive Producer Jessica Wetzler. These awards were handed out on Saturday, Mar. 23, at the Virginia's Associated Press Broadcasters Awards luncheon at The Greenbrier in West Virginia. WRIC ABC 8News Executive Producers Jessica Wetzler (left) and Katie Wells (right). (Photo: 8News) Keep scrolling to learn more about what coverage earned us these awards. First Place: Best Spot News Still from team coverage of the Huguenot High School graduation shooting featuring (from left to right, top to bottom:) anchors Deanna Allbrittin and Eric Philips, reporters Autumn Childress and Cheyenne Pagan. (Photo: 8News) We received the Best Spot News award for our initial, breaking coverage of the tragic mass shooting following Huguenot High School's graduation ceremony. The submitted clips showcased the work of 8News on-air team members Eric Phillips, Deanna Allbrittin, Autumn Childress and Cheyenne Pagan. First Place: Best Station Promo Still from "News Where We All Live" station promo, featuring Delaney Hall. (Photo: 8News) We received the Best Station Promo award for a heartwarming promo featuring 8News anchor Delaney Hall. In this promo, we emphasize our station's commitment to serving our neighbors and being an active part of our community. WATCH: A conversation with Good Morning Richmond anchors Autumn Childress and Delaney Hall First Place: Best Producer Our Executive Producer Katie Wells received the first-place award for Best Producer. She has been with our station since 2014 and took on the role of Executive Producer in 2018. She has previously received a variety of awards, including multiple honors from this very same organization. Second Place: Best Continuing News Still from some of the continuing coverage into the Huguenot High School graduation shooting, involving (from left to right, top to bottom:) anchors Deanna Allbrittin and Eric Philips, reporters Rolynn Wilson, Alexis Bellamy and Autumn Childress. (Photo: 8News) We received the Best Continuing News award for our continuing coverage of the tragic mass shooting following Huguenot High School's graduation ceremony. The submitted clips showcased the work of 8News on-air team members Eric Phillips, Deanna Allbrittin, Cheyenne Pagan, Nicole Dantzler, Heather Hope, Alexis Bellamy, Autumn Childress, Sierra Krug and Rolynn Wilson. Second Place: Best Producer Our Executive Producer Jessica Wetlzer received the second-place award for Best Producer. She has been with our station since 2021. Jessica has won multiple previous awards, some of them during her time as a reporter in Harrisonburg prior to joining 8News. Second Place: Best Team Coverage Team coverage into the wrongful death of Irvo Otieno, featuring (from left to right, top to bottom:) Reporters Olivia Jaquith and Nicole Dantzler, anchor Deanna Allbrittin and reporter Autumn Childress. (Photo: 8News) We received the Best Continuing News award for our team coverage of the wrongful death of Irvo Otieno. The submitted clips showcased the work of 8News on-air team members John Rogers, Autumn Childress, Eric Philips, Heather Hope, Nicole Dantzler, Olivia Jaquith and Rolynn Wilson. Second Place: Best Old Dominion Heritage 8News Anchor Deanna Allbrittin retraces her roots, uncovering previously unknown links to her family tree at the Library of Virginia (Photo: 8News) 8News anchor Deanna Allbrittin received the second-place award for Best Old Dominion Heritage for her piece called "Retracing my Roots." This powerful exploration of her ancestry and identity helped her better understand where she and her family came from. "I’m able to pursue my passion and work for pay, just an hour from where he and generations of my family toiled for none at all," Deanna wrote in the web story that accompanied her on-air work. "So close, that my voice, my face and my work all broadcast across the very land where they lived enslaved. I have become — I am, my ancestors’ wildest dreams." Second Place: Outstanding News Operation of the Virginias We received the Oustanding News Operations of the Virginias' second-place award for our overall work as a station reporting on what's important to our audience in Central Virginia. We submitted a nearly thirty-minute compilation of on-air broadcast work showcasing a variety of our reporting, featuring virtually all of our on-air talent throughout those clips. Whether we are covering painful local tragedies, severe weather conditions, outstanding community outreach or snakes found in U-Haul trucks -- each and every day, we are honored to share news where we all live with all of you. LATEST HEADLINES