WPSX-TV has a couple more Emmys to toss in its trophy case.

Penn State Public Broadcasting (PSPB) won the Emmy for outstanding sports series for the program Center Court with Rene Portland, as well as outstanding public service announcement for a series of anti-smoking public service announcements at this year's Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy Awards ceremony.

"It is an honor for our station to even earn a nomination because we are competing with commercial stations in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh," said Carol Wonsavage, WPSX-TV spokeswoman. "It's great to win for sports, especially when that is what those big towns excel at."

The Mid-Atlantic region is made up of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The Emmy awards were created to honor programs displaying excellence in regional television news, programming and individual achievement.

About 750 members of the Mid-Atlantic Region, who are peers in the television market, judged the Emmy nominees before the awards ceremony, which took place Sept. 19.

Topher Yorks and Don Hampton were both segment directors for Center Court with Rene Portland. Yorks also produced and directed an anti-smoking public service announcement with Susanna Ritti.

"A nomination means we're doing our job well and it is proof that the people we have here are good at what they do," Yorks said. "We have an incredibly talented staff and the awards are a testament to that."

Center Court with Rene Portland, produced by Bill Amin and funded in part by the Penn State Athletic Department, is an in-depth view of the Lady Lions Basketball team. The show has been hosted by women's basketball coach Rene Portland and Anne Moss for 11 seasons.

This is the show's third Emmy, and it has also won a Press Club of Western Pennsylvania 2004 Golden Quill Award for Sports Reporting.

"We won the Emmy in 2000 for best sports series," Amin said. "In 1999 we won best feature for one of the features we had on the show, so this was our third Emmy."

Amin praised his co-workers for the award and thanked Portland for the behind-the-scenes access she allowed the TV program.

"We have talented and professional team members who all play a major role in the success of Center Court," Amin said. "The show is really a success because of the access to the team that Rene gives us. It allows us to give good stories about the team."

Yorks said the sports show is a continuous project.

"Center Court is a show that is a year-long project," Yorks said. "We're always coming up with new ideas in the off-season."

The WPSX anti-smoking public service announcements, funded in part by money from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, tackled such topics as the health impact of smoking on men and women, cigarette marketing to youths and the hazards of second-hand smoke.

"The PSAs were a joint effort between the University Health Services and the PSBS," Yorks said. "It took about four to six months to do all the public service announcements."

Penn State Public Broadcasting station's program Hometown Stories: Williamsport was also nominated for outstanding cultural program and also received an individual nomination for the graphic animation work of Matt Chirdon.