The Patriot League Male and Female Sportsmanship Award was created in 2006. The Patriot League Sportsmanship Award is open to all Patriot League student-athletes, with one male and one female winner selected. Each of the eight Patriot League institutions is eligible to nominate candidates which are then voted on by the Patriot League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The names of the winners of the Patriot League Male and Female Sportsmanship Award will be forwarded on as the Patriot League's nominations for the NCAA Male and Female Sportsmanship award.
Each Patriot League institution can nominate as many individuals as they wish. To nominate an individual or team, contact Joanna Kreps or
Patrick Muffley at the Patriot League office to receive a nomination form or use the PDF copy below. The completed form should be signed
by both the Director of Athletics and the student-athlete and returned to the Patriot League office.
Patriot League Male Sportsmanship Award Winners |
| |
 2008-09
Geoff Campbell
Lehigh University
Baseball
|
|
A co-captain of the Mountain Hawk baseball team, Campbell's on-field behavior was often commended by opponents and umpires alike. Head Coach Sean Leary stated that Campbell showed how to "play the game right", and never argued with an umpire while displaying respect for the opposition. Campbell's demeanor earned so much respect from around the League that the umpires all presented him with a signed scorecard as a memento for his last game at Lehigh. Campbell was a leader off the field as well, as he has served as a Student-Athlete Mentor representative for two years and a leader in Lehigh's Student-Athlete Council during the past academic year.
|
| |
 2007-08
Bryan White
Lehigh University
Men's Basketball
|
|
White always served as a calming voice for the Mountain Hawk basketball team, inspiring his teammates to remain composed, exhibit high levels of sportsmanship and to seize every opportunity that came their way. As the captain of his squad, White would encourage his teammates to handle calls that may not have gone their way with great poise and to move on from those hurdles. He was an inspiration to his entire team and left the group with encouraging words after their season came to an end in the Patriot League Tournament. He told his teammates to embrace the opportunities before them and that time is short so they should appreciate every opportunity afforded to them.
|
| |
| |
 2006-07
Arthur "Robbie" Walsh
Lehigh University
Men's Lacrosse
|
|
Sometimes teams need a voice of reason to bring them back to why they play the game they love. Walsh was that voice of reason for the Lehigh men's lacrosse team and is characterized by his coach Chris Wakely as the "soul" of the squad. The senior political science major would be the one to remind the team to keep its cool when playing away games that might incite poor sporting behavior from fans and to focus on the games itself. Walsh's commitment to good sporting behavior was a key factor in the presentation of the James "Ace" Adams Sportsmanship Award to Lehigh in the spring of 2006 by the United States Men's Lacrosse Collegiate Committee. The award is named after the legendary men's lacrosse coach James Adams, who modeled the highest standards of class and professionalism throughout his career.
|
| |
 2005-06
Joe Knight
Lehigh University
Men's Basketball
|
|
"I am honored and thrilled for Joe Knight," Lehigh Head Men's Basketball Coach Billy Taylor said. "Joe is a tremendous young man who had a positive impact on our basketball team and the Lehigh campus. I am so excited that the Patriot League recognizes his strong leadership qualities. Joe personally battled through adversity and refused to let negative destructive thoughts steal from his experience to get a high-level education while playing the game he loves. I can only hope that we can continue to recruit quality student-athletes like Joe Knight."
Knight was a Second-Team All-Patriot League selection in 2006, averaging 14.4 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game, leading Lehigh to a 19-12 overall record and third-place finish in the Patriot League. Knight graduated from Lehigh with a degree in sociology last month.
Knight also committed himself to serving the community with his involvement in the Boys and Girls Club Big Brother program as a Youth Community Reading Program volunteer and as a summer camp counselor.
|
| |
| |
| |
Patriot League Female Sportsmanship Award Winners |
| |
 2008-09
Melissa Rich
Lehigh University
Women's Basketball
|
|
Rich was successful in the classroom and on the court at Lehigh, and always did it with an upbeat and positive attitude. She would often help an opponent up after being fouled and was known as "mom" to her coaches and teammates for always working hard and doing whatever necessary to help the team. Even as her role on the team changed, Rich was a leader for the Mountain Hawks and used her teaching ability to help her teammates become successful. She emerged as an outstanding bench player and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as Lehigh won the 2009 Patriot League Championship. Rich was just as helpful in her off the court activities, as she was heavily involved with Lehigh's Community Outreach by Athletes who Care about Helping (C.O.A.C.H.) program and also volunteered at the children's ward at St. Luke's Hospital, ran a free basketball clinic for children and recruited her team to help with the Victory House Dinner, a shelter that provides meals to homeless men in Bethlehem.
|
| |
 2007-08
Asia Hollis
Lafayette College
Women's Track and Field
|
|
Hollis showed a great deal of sportsmanship at the 2008 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championship, although most never saw her gracious act. Hollis and teammate Janica Austin were both competing in the 400-meter race. Austin crossed the line first followed by Hollis, but due to a lane violation Austin was disqualified and thus moving Hollis up to first place. At the conclusion of the championship meet Hollis was awarded the 400-meter gold medal. She then went and sat down next to her teammate Austin and said "this belongs to you" as she handed her the gold medal. Hollis did this quietly and not many people saw what had happened. Hollis did not do this for recognition or applause, but rather because that is what felt right to her.
|
| |
| |
 2006-07
Ashley Yelland
Lafayette College
Women's Soccer
|
|
Yelland performed a single act that embodied the meaning of sportsmanship. The senior women's soccer tri-captain and government and law major went above and beyond at Lafayette's Senior Night, which was the last home game of the season for the Leopards. Senior Night festivities include a pre-game presentation to the seniors on the home team, which interrupts the normal flow of warm ups for the away team that must stand by and wait for the ceremony to conclude. Lafayette's Senior Night game was against fellow Patriot League team Army, whose seniors will be commissioned into the U.S. Military upon graduation. Instead of just letting the Army seniors watch as the soon-to-be Lafayette graduates were celebrated, Yelland presented her opponent's seniors with flowers as well and thanked them for their contribution to their country.
|
| |
 2006-07
Army Women's Basketball Team
|
|
The Army women's basketball team showed great courage in a time of adversity pulling together as one to carry on the memory of Maggie Dixon, who coached the Black Knights during the 2005-06 season and suddenly passed away last April at age 28. While Dixon was only with the team a short time, she made an impact on the student-athletes, cadets, athletic department and the community that will never be forgotten. Dixon coached Army to its first-ever Patriot League Championship title in 2006 and Division I NCAA Tournament debut, but her contributions to the Army women's basketball went well beyond "Xs" and "Os". This year's Black Knight women's basketball team exuded bravery at the first-annual Maggie Dixon Classic, where Army played nationally-ranked Ohio State in its season opener at West Point. The tournament was a celebration of Dixon's accomplishments which included the hanging of both the Patriot League Championship banner and Dixon's Patriot League Coach of the Year banner and speeches by the seniors from the 2005-06 team.
|
| |
| |
 2005-06
Meredith Addington
U.S. Naval Academy
Women's Basketball
|
|
Addington appeared in seven Midshipmen contests this season, averaging 3.9 minutes per game. Her teammates described her as the ultimate team player and pushed them to succeed each day in practice despite her limited role. Addington started Navy's final home contest of the season on Senior Night against Colgate on February 25, earning a standing ovation from the crowd when she was announced.
"This is a tremendous honor for Meredith, our team and the Naval Academy," Navy Head Women's Basketball Coach Tom Marryott said. "Throughout her career, she was the type of player every coach would love to have because of her constant drive to help the team have success on the court, in the classroom and within the Brigade. How Meredith carried herself in everything she did was a great example of every attribute one associates with sportsmanship."
|
