Listed below are winners of the Nick Adams Short Story Contest, with links to the text of the stories, if available.
See contest results from past years for more information and links to additional stories.
Note: These stories are reprinted with permission. Copying any story without the express, written permission of the author is prohibited.
2024 – “Possession” by Indy Smith, Cornell College
2023 – “Phantom” by Carling McQuinn, Macalester College
2022 – “Jean-Pierre Melville is Dead” by Soren Eversoll, Carleton College
2021 – “Underwater, I Am Weightless” by Natalie Marsh, Carleton College
2020 – “scott disick sucks” by Ruby Elliot Zuckerman, Macalester College
2019 – “Coming of Age in the Modern Midwest” by Catherine Johnson, Carleton College
2018 – “Maddie, the Whole World; Whole World, Maddie” by Claire Seymour, Carleton College
2017 – “Four Times Jasper Diallo Didn’t Die (and One Time He Lived)” by Rachel Stanley, Ripon College
2016 – “Playing It Safe” by Nelson Ogbuagu, Grinnell College
2015 – “Proudly, Unburied” by Evelyn Coffin, Knox College
2014 (Co-Winners) – “The Fawn” by Zoey Slater, St. Olaf College and “Infinite” by Alex Zimay, Knox College
2013 – “Truth in Lies” by Sarah Olson, Carleton College
2012 – “Gusanos” by Clare Boerigter, Grinnell College
2011 – “Andrew at Eid” by Adam Sirgany, Knox College
2010 – “Hangmen” by Andrew Watt, St. Olaf College
2009 – “A Flawed Vivarium” by Kokoro Lee, Macalester College
2008 – “Recollection” by Myra Thompson, Knox College
2007 – “The Swans at Roxleigh” by Callie Bates, Lawrence University
2006 – “Rolande Quits Her Job” by Sarah Schillaci, Carleton College
2005 – “The Billie Holiday” by Anne Guidry, Carleton College
2004 – “Entropy” by Mary Parker, Grinnell College
2003 – “Templeton Appeared Stoic” by Ross Kelly, Knox College
2002 – “Faculty Brat” by Benjamin Jacobson, St. Olaf College
2001 – “At Auction: Items Offered by Hannah Elise Montgomery” by Elaine Farrugia, Knox College
2000 – “The Rapture Approaches” by Jane Yager, Macalester College
1999 – “Fun” by Anne-E. Wood, Macalester College
1998 – “Memories of the Ghost” by Srinivas Rao, College of the University of Chicago
1997 – “Dead Languages” by Lisa M. Bennett, Monmouth College
1996 (Co-Winners) – “Planes” by Seth Shafer, Colorado College and “Chrystal’s Room” by Aaron Cohn, Knox College
1995 – “Looking for Swanny” by Josh Stevens, Knox College
1994 – “The Water Gypsies” by Tenaya Darlington, Beloit College
1993 – “Wood Things” by Malia E. Gellert, Beloit College
1992 – “The Gargoyle” by Lynda Olman, Colorado College
1991 – “An Extra Measure of Grace” by Heidi Espenscheid, Lawrence University
1990 – “Walking to School in Snow” by Craig Salters, Lake Forest College
1989 – “Morning Glory” by Martha Kesler, St. Olaf College
1988 – “Staying Snow” by G. Scott Campbell, Coe College
1987 – “Low Rent” by John McKenzie, Macalester College
1986 – “Marshlands” by Timothy R. Fisher, St. Olaf College
1985 – “(What happened to) The Next Earl Anthony” by Dan Nicolai, Macalester College
1984 – “Solo” by Laurie Hovell, Lawrence University
1983 – “Rosehead” by Kim Hastings, Knox College
1982 – “Waiting for Michael” by Sheila McIntosh, Knox College
1981 – “Olive” by Elizabeth Stronge, St. Olaf College
1980 – “Sonia Rose” by Anne L. Johnson, Knox College
1979 – “Sky-Dance” by Matthew White, Beloit College
1978 – “Housecleaning” by Sue Rowe, Knox College
1977 – “The Ship” by Peter Russell, Grinnell College
1976 – “McKinley Summer” by Martha Starr, St. Olaf College
1975 – “Summer Seventy-Four” by Amy Borgstrom, Colorado College
1974 – “Pontius Pilate” by John Hagge, St. Olaf College
1973 – “Sunday Silence” by Jonathan Griffith, Cornell College
