LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. -- In an announcement made today from the league office, 21 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) programs were recognized as a 2020-21 Sportsmanship Team recipient for their respective sport.
The SCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee instituted the award prior to the 2016-17 academic year in an effort to honor the team that best portrays good sportsmanship and fair play from the players and coaches during the season. The awards are currently presented in all 19 conference-sponsored sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field and volleyball.
Colorado College led the way in 2020-21 with five programs earning recognition: men's basketball, women's cross country, men's lacrosse, women's swimming and diving and women's track and field. It is the third consecutive year the CC men's basketball team has received the team sportsmanship honor and the second time both the CC women's cross country (previously in 2018) and the CC women's track and field programs (previously in 2017) have been so honored. The Colorado College men's lacrosse and women's swimming and diving teams were first-time honorees.
Austin College earned SAAC team sportsmanship recognition for four of its programs, including men's cross country which picked up its third honor in the five-year history of the award (2016 and 2017) and the women's tennis program which received its third straight team sportsmanship award. The AC women's basketball and the men's track and field programs were also honored as 2020-21 SAAC Sportsmanship teams.
Southwestern University earned its fourth consecutive women's golf team sportsmanship award and the Southwestern women's soccer team was honored with the team sportsmanship award for the second consecutive year. The Schreiner University men's soccer program earned a third team sportsmanship award, having won the award previously in 2016 and 2017, and the Mountaineers' softball program received its second team sportsmanship honor after being recognized in the inaugural year of the awards in 2017. The McMurry University men's swimming program also picked up its second career team sportsmanship award after winning in 2018.
Programs not previously mentioned that were honored for the first time included Centenary College men's golf and men's lacrosse, University of Dallas baseball and women's lacrosse, Texas Lutheran University men's cross country and men's tennis, and Trinity University volleyball.
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference 2020-21 Team Sportsmanship Awards:
Baseball: University of Dallas
Men's Basketball: Colorado College
Women's Basketball: Austin College
Men's Cross Country: Austin College, Texas Lutheran University
Women's Cross Country: Colorado College
Men's Golf: Centenary College
Women's Golf: Southwestern University
Men's Lacrosse: Centenary College, Colorado College
Women's Lacrosse: University of Dallas
Men's Soccer: Schreiner University
Women's Soccer: Southwestern University
Softball: Schreiner University
Men's Swimming & Diving: McMurry University
Women's Swimming & Diving: Colorado College
Men's Tennis: Texas Lutheran University
Women's Tennis: Austin College
Men's Track & Field: Austin College
Women's Track & Field: Colorado College
Volleyball: Trinity University
The awards were voted on by each member institution's SAAC, with each individual group ranking the top three teams in each sport. The first place selections were awarded five points, second place earned three points and third place earned one point. Points were then totaled to select the conference's overall winner.
