(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has announced that Mary Baldwin College has been chosen as the winner of the 2009 USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. Mary Baldwin won the Sportsmanship Trophy after they picked up the Sportsmanship Award in three sports during the 2008-2009 academic year. The Fighting Squirrels were chosen as Sportsmanship Award winners in women's soccer, volleyball and softball. Christopher Newport University also picked up awards in three sports but Mary Baldwin had a higher ratio of sports won to the number of Conference sports sponsored. This is the first-ever season that the Fighting Squirrels 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.

Methodist University was the only other school to win multiple Sportsmanship Awards during the past academic year. The other Sportsmanship Awards this season went to Averett University, Greensboro College, Ferrum College 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. 

2008-2009 Individual Sport Sportsmanship Award Winners
Football - Christopher Newport University
Volleyball - Mary Baldwin College
Women's Soccer - Mary Baldwin College
Men's Soccer - Averett University
Women's Basketball - Methodist University
Men's Basketball - Greensboro College
Baseball - Christopher Newport University
Softball - Mary Baldwin College
Lacrosse - Christopher Newport University
Men's Tennis - Ferrum College
Women's Tennis - Methodist University and Peace College