Morning Sentinel sports reporter Travis Lazarczyk is the Maine Sportswriter of the Year, the National Sports Media Association announced Monday.

The association, which is based out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, annually honors the top sports reporters and broadcasters in each state.

Association director Dave Goren said each state’s members nominate candidates in October and then vote for winners in December.

Lazarczyk, who has worked at the Sentinel for 19 years, said he was honored to earn the award.

“It’s an honor because I know how many great sports reporters there are in Maine,” Lazarczyk said. “We all push each other every day. Just on our own staff, we have a lot of great writers. I’d put our department against anybody.”

Bill Green, who retired in November from WCSH in Portland after a 47-year TV career, was named the Maine Sportscaster of the Year.