RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced its sportsmanship awards for the Spring 2021 and 2021-22 seasons. The league's head coaches chose the Team Sportsmanship Awards, based on a point system.
From the spring 2021 season, Harding collected the honor for women's soccer, men's cross county, women's golf and baseball. Southwestern Oklahoma State claimed the sportsmanship award for volleyball, women's cross country and women's track and field. East Central picked up the distinction for women's basketball and men's track & field.
Fort Hays State earned the accolade for men's soccer; Southeastern Oklahoma State picked up its third-straight sportsmanship award for men's basketball; Henderson State won its first for men's golf, Arkansas-Monticello garnered its second in softball and Ouachita claimed its first for women's tennis.
For the 2021-22 season, Southwestern Oklahoma State paced the way with four Sportsmanship awards. The Bulldogs repeated in volleyball, women's cross country and women's track & field. They added an award for women's soccer, the first such recognition in program history.
Harding collected Sportsmanship awards for men's basketball, men's golf and baseball. In baseball, the Bisons have claimed seven of the nine all-time Sportsmanship awards. In both men's basketball and men's golf, Harding has won four Sportsmanship awards.
East Central, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Ouachita Baptist each garnered two Sportsmanship awards. The Tigers repeated in both women's basketball and men's track and field. ECU has earned four of the last five women's basketball Sportsmanship honors. The Rangers football team collected its second Sportsmanship award in football and its first for softball. Ouachita earned its second-straight award for women's tennis and its first in men's cross country.
Oklahoma Baptist won the second GAC Sportsmanship award in history as the Bison claimed the honor for softball. Northeastern State won its first for men's soccer.
"These awards tie into the NCAA Division II emphasis on sportsmanship and game environment," GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt said. "We are proud of these institutions that have displayed success on the scoreboard and in ways that aren't necessarily reflected in wins and losses."
In 2012, The GAC's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee initiated a sportsmanship award to be presented for all team sports. The winning school will receive a banner similar to the one presented to GAC tournament championship winners. The goal of the program is for member institutions to promote good sportsmanship among its teams, fans, and all involved with the events.