May 20, 2008
Contact: Mike Christie, Assistant Commissioner

Christopher Newport Wins 2008 USA South Sportsmanship Trophy

(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has announced that Christopher Newport University has been chosen as the winner of the 2008 USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. CNU won the Sportsmanship Trophy after they picked up the Sportsmanship Award in three sports during the 2007-2008 academic year. The Captains were chosen as Sportsmanship Award winners in football, baseball and lacrosse. Averett University also picked up awards in three sports but CNU collected more total votes during the year. This is the first-ever season that the Captains have claimed the USA South Sportsmanship Trophy.

There is a Sportsmanship Award for 11 of the 14 Conference-sponsored sports. For each sport, all team members vote for the teams they deem to have demonstrated the best overall sportsmanship throughout the season. The team garnering the most votes receives that sport's Sportsmanship Award. The school that wins the most individual sport awards wins the overall USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. The award came about through SAAC's commitment to maintaining a sportsmanlike environment on each of our campuses. 

Averett and Mary Baldwin College were the only other schools to win multiple Sportsmanship Awards during the past academic year. The other Sportsmanship Awards this season went to Meredith College, Methodist University and Peace College.

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. 

2007-2008 Individual Sport Sportsmanship Award Winners
Football - Christopher Newport University
Volleyball - Peace College
Women's Soccer - Mary Baldwin College
Men's Soccer - Averett University
Women's Basketball - Meredith College
Men's Basketball - Averett University
Baseball - Christopher Newport University
Softball - Mary Baldwin College
Lacrosse - Christopher Newport University
Men's Tennis - Methodist University
Women's Tennis - Averett University