The Society of Professional Journalists named The Hatchet the best non-daily student newspaper in the nation for the second time in five years.

The Hatchet beat out newspapers in 12 SPJ regions around the country to win the national award, after winning the Mark of Excellence award for best non-daily newspaper in the region last month. The paper last received the honor in 2004.

A news release detailing all of the Mark of Excellence award winners is scheduled to be issued Monday.

“This year we had a very hungry staff and everybody worked really hard,” said Jake Sherman, this past year’s editor in chief. “We had a lot of good stories that came out and a really strong editing team.”

SPJ also chose Sherman and sports editor Andrew Alberg as national finalists in online sports reporting for their coverage of the Atlantic 10 basketball tournament in 2007. The Hatchet will compete against two other newspapers at the SPJ convention this fall for second or third place in online sports reporting.

Sherman added that although The Hatchet enjoys winning individual staff member awards, this year’s best non-daily award honors everyone collectively.

“This is a testament to a staff that works harder than anyone I know,” said Eric Roper, editor in chief. “They work tirelessly with little in return, and this honor is a fitting reward.”

SPJ’s annual Mark of Excellence awards honor the best of student journalism in 39 different categories for print, radio, television and online work. Non-daily newspapers are defined as those that publish less than four times per week.

The Hatchet and the other national award winners will be honored at the fall SPJ national convention in Atlanta.