Inspirational Country Music Association Recognizes Kentucky Wesleyan College Radio Station
January 23, 2026
Kentucky Wesleyan College’s radio station, WKWC 90.3, has been nominated for Radio Station of the Year, and WKWC Manager and Instructor of Communications Derik Hancock has been nominated for Radio Personality of the Year by the Inspirational Country Music Association (ICMA).
Hancock is also the announcer of the Inspirational Country Music Association’s 30th Anniversary Awards which will take place April 6 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.
WKWC is a long-time supporter of the Inspirational Country Music Association and airs the Country Revival Countdown every weekend along with other special programming on Sundays.
“What an honor and a dream come true,” says Hancock. “I get to announce the awards ceremony at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, along with being nominated with the radio station for awards.”
Derik Hancock also shared that the station has been on the air since 1983. “It is special for the station to be recognized in this way. I am proud of WKWC and what it stands for in Owensboro; dedication to our students and community and unique programming that includes Inspirational Country Music on weekends.”
“Congratulations to Kentucky Wesleyan College, WKWC and Derik Hancock on your nominations,” said Owensboro native Steve Bridgmon, ICMA Male Vocalist of the Year (2024/2025). “My involvement with the ICMA has been amazing, and it is fitting that Derik and WKWC are a part of the family of stations that spin and promote this genre.”
“It’s exciting for WKWC and Manager Derik Hancock to be nominated in this year’s ICMA Awards,” says Andrew Bolin, program coordinator and associate professor of communication arts at the College. “I am extremely proud of the work of our faculty and students and the growth of the Communication Arts Program at KWC. This recognition highlights the professional environment in which our students engage and learn.”
The Inspirational Country Music Association is non-profit organization committed to deepening the impact of Christian country music and its creators through Support, Outreach, Advancement and Recognition (SOAR). The association exists to celebrate and empower the efforts of those who combine country music with messages of the Christian faith for the cause of the Gospel.
Ticket information for the awards ceremony is available at opry.com.
More information about the Inspirational Country Music Association can be found at inspirationalcountrymusic.com.