(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has announced that Covenant College has been chosen as the winner of the 2014 USA South Sportsmanship Trophy. Covenant won the Sportsmanship Trophy after picking up the Sportsmanship Award in five sports during the 2013-2014 academic year. This is the first Sportsmanship Trophy for the first-year Conference member Scots who were chosen as individual Sportsmanship Award winners in the sports of men's soccer, women's basketball, baseball, softball and men's tennis.

There is a Sportsmanship Award for the 11 Conference-sponsored team sports. Men's and women's cross country, along with men's golf, are not included due to a lack of a conference schedule in those particular sports. For each sport, all team members vote for the team he/she deemed to have demonstrated the best overall sportsmanship throughout the season. The team garnering the most votes receives that sports' Sportsmanship Award. The institution which wins the most individual sport awards is presented with 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 University and Mary Baldwin College were the only other schools to collect multiple Sportsmanship Awards as the Cougars earned three honors and the Fighting Squirrels collected two accolades. Single Sportsmanship Award winners this year were Huntingdon College and Maryville 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.

2013-14 Sportsmanship Award Winners
Football - Maryville College
Volleyball - Mary Baldwin College
Men's Soccer - Covenant College
Women's Soccer - Mary Baldwin College
Men's Basketball - Averett University
Women's Basketball - Covenant College
Baseball - Covenant College
Softball - Covenant College
Men's Tennis - Averett University & Covenant College
Women's Tennis - Averett University
Women's Lacrosse - Huntingdon College

Past Sportsmanship Trophy Recipients
2013-14 - Covenant College
2012-13 - Mary Baldwin College
2011-12 - Mary Baldwin College
2010-11 - Ferrum College
2009-10 - Mary Baldwin College
2008-09 - Mary Baldwin College
2007-08 - Christopher Newport University
2006-07 - Averett University
2005-06 - Averett University
2004-05 - N.C. Wesleyan College