SCAC Team sportsmanship award

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Following this past fall athletic season, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference announced the winners of the “SCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Team Sportsmanship award.” 

Out of five awards, UD won four of them: first place awards in volleyball, women’s soccer, and women’s cross country, as well as a third place in men’s cross country. 

The women’s soccer team won the award for the first time while the women’s cross country team snagged first place for the second time in three years. A SCAC press release from Dec. 2021 states that, “The awards were voted on by each member institution’s SAAC, with each individual group ranking the top three teams in each sport.”

UD athletic programs were recognized with different awards five times in 2019 at SCAC’s “fall All-Sportsmanship teams.” Impressively, all five teams were recognized again for the 2020-21 award. 

Head coach for both UD cross country teams, Nick Schneigert, commented on UD’s excellent sportsmanship. He said, “We are a faith based school so we need to be great representatives of not [only] our school, but our faith.” 

According to UD’s mission statement, “[the university] is guided by principles of learning that acknowledge transcendent standards of truth and excellence that are themselves the object of search in an education.” That emphasis on excellence extends to UD’s athletic programs, and especially to its sportsmanship. 

In an email, head coach of UD women’s soccer, Lexi Stinson, noted the exceptional character of her athletes. She said, “I’m always impressed by their kindness, that they are respectful, their work ethic, and that they are inspired to work for each other.”

Senior business major and soccer player Anisa Meza described what it means to be part of a team known for excellent sportsmanship. She said, “Our athleticism is just part of a whole, and our sportsmanship is all about being a true teammate and friend to everyone.” 

This kind of excellent sportsmanship serves to challenge every player to strive for greatness. Meza continued, “Yes, the love and passion of the game still runs through our bones but even after a hard tackle or a push, we congratulate and cheer each other on because we are making each other better.”

Stinson described the importance of good sportsmanship, saying: “Sports are about much more than winning big games. Sports have the ability to help develop and reveal character. To be known for having good character is far more important than being known for being a good soccer player.”

Join us in congratulating our sports program on forming not only excellent athletes, but also exceptional people as they represent UD on the court, field and trails.

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