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NCAA Announces National Sportsmanship Award Winners

For Immediate Release

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Contact(s)

Stacey Osburn
Associate Director for Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117


INDIANAPOLIS---Cross country student-athletes Tyler Parks and Mike Smith of Southern New Hampshire University and the Northwestern College (Minn.) women’s volleyball team have been selected as the 2009-2010 NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award winners.

The Sportsmanship Award is given by the Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct (CSEC) to honor student-athletes who demonstrate acts of sportsmanship that have a positive impact on teammates, opponents and fans.

“Our winners this year and every year exemplify positive sportsmanship that emphasizes the highest level of respect and integrity during competition throughout the Association and the nation,” said John Blanchard, chair of the sportsmanship committee and senior associate athletics director at the University of North Carolina.

 From all three divisions, the committee selects one overall male and one overall female student-athlete or team as the NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award winners.

Although the award is designed for individuals, the committee also considers teams who act together to embody sportsmanship.

Cross country student-athletes Tyler Parks and Mike Smith of Southern New Hampshire University were awarded the national men’s NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award for their actions during a cross country meet on October 10, 2009.

When competing in the New England Track and Field Championship, Parks and Smith came across a runner from an opposing team who was unconscious on the wooded course area. It was estimated that the runner had been lying there for three to four minutes and approximately 100 runners had already passed him on the course. The pair stopped to assist the runner, even though doing so prevented them from finishing the race. Parks and Smith helped the runner regain consciousness and assisted him to the nearest medical tent. After the race Parks and Smith were commended by fellow runners for their efforts and received their campus’ sportsmanship award.

In addition to this act of sportsmanship, Parks and Smith are known on their team for putting others before themselves and being supportive of their teammates on and off the field.

“They are very protective of their team and their coaches in making sure that everyone is safe and included in all activities they are part of on and off the course,” said Jamie Gratton, SNHU men’s cross country coach.

The Northwestern College women’s volleyball team received the women’s national NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award for its “Honor Calls” program. The system was developed by the student-athletes, informing officials of their touches at the net if officials or line judges did not see them.  The student-athletes adhered to this commitment, even if the result meant the point would be awarded to the opposing team. The Honor Call system resulted in a loss of 30 points during the season and had an influence on the teams’ final rankings. The Northwestern College volleyball team’s decision to value integrity and competition had an effect on other teams as well. Teams Northwestern competed against followed suit and implemented honor calls in their games as well.

“This truly exemplifies the impact that integrity can have in intercollegiate athletics and the positive change on sporting culture one team can make,” said Beth Wilmeth, Northwestern’s head volleyball coach about the impact that the Northwestern College volleyball team’s “Honor Call” had on other teams.

According to the college, the student- athletes’ collaborative decision to implement the “Honor Calls” was not to draw attention to the team or student-athletes, but instead to do the right thing in order to set an example for other teams at Northwestern and younger children that attended the games.

The NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award was first presented in 1999 as the Outstanding Sports Persons of the Year Award. The award was renamed the NCAA Sportsmanship Award in 2001. Beginning with the 2009-10 academic year, the award was renamed to the NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award, to distinguish it from the recently created NCAA Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award.

The NCAA Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award was created to honor a coach, administrator or staff member who has a demonstrated history of sportsmanship.

In recognition of their outstanding efforts, the Sportsmanship Award winners will be presented the award during this academic year on their campus with a CSEC committee member in attendance at a ceremony or event of the institution’s choice.