The USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has announced that Covenant College has been chosen as the winners of the 2016 USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. Covenant earns its third consecutive Sportsmanship Trophy after picking up the Sportsmanship Award in five sports during the 2015-2016 academic year. The Scots were chosen as individual Sportsmanship Award winners in men's soccer, volleyball, men's basketball, baseball and softball.
There is a Sportsmanship Award for the 11 Conference-sponsored team sports. Men's and women's cross country, along with men's golf, are not included due to a lack of a conference schedule in those particular sports. For each sport, all team members vote for the team he/she deemed to have demonstrated the best overall sportsmanship throughout the season. The team garnering the most votes receives that sports' Sportsmanship Award. The institution which wins the most individual sport awards is presented with the overall USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. The award came about through SAAC's commitment to maintaining a sportsmanlike environment on each of our campuses.
Along with Covenant, Mary Baldwin College was the only other institution to collect multiple Sportsmanship Awards as the Fighting Squirrels grabbed two team accolades. Single Sportsmanship Award winners this year included Ferrum College, Huntingdon College, Meredith College and Methodist University.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee hopes that by awarding a Sportsmanship Award, the members of the USA South will understand the importance of this issue. It is vital that good sportsmanship be demonstrated in the arena of competition.
2015-16 Sportsmanship Award Winners
Football - Huntingdon College
Men's Soccer - Covenant College
Women's Soccer - Mary Baldwin College
Volleyball - Covenant College
Men's Basketball - Covenant College
Women's Basketball - Mary Baldwin College
Baseball - Covenant College
Softball - Covenant College
Men's Tennis - Ferrum College
Women's Tennis - Methodist University
Women's Lacrosse - Meredith College
Past Sportsmanship Trophy Recipients
2015-16 - Covenant College
2014-15 - Covenant College and Mary Baldwin College
2013-14 - Covenant College
2012-13 - Mary Baldwin College
2011-12 - Mary Baldwin College
2010-11 - Ferrum College
2009-10 - Mary Baldwin College
2008-09 - Mary Baldwin College
2007-08 - Christopher Newport University
2006-07 - Averett University
2005-06 - Averett University
2004-05 - N.C. Wesleyan College