(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has announced that Averett University has been chosen as the winner of the 2007 USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. Averett won the Sportsmanship Trophy after they picked up the Sportsmanship Award in five sports during the 2006-2007 academic year. The Cougars were chosen as Sportsmanship Award winners in men's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, softball and men's tennis. This is the second consecutive season that Averett has been awarded with 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. 

Christopher Newport University was the only other school to win multiple Sportsmanship Awards during the past academic year as the Captains earned awards in football, baseball and lacrosse. The other Sportsmanship Awards this season went to Peace College for women's soccer, Methodist University for volleyball and Greensboro College for women's tennis.

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. 

2006-2007 Individual Sport Sportsmanship Award Winners
Football - Christopher Newport University
Volleyball - Methodist University
Women's Soccer - Peace College
Men's Soccer - Averett University
Women's Basketball - Averett University
Men's Basketball - Averett University
Baseball - Christopher Newport University
Softball - Averett University
Lacrosse - Christopher Newport University
Men's Tennis - Averett University
Women's Tennis - Greensboro College