Belmont Abbey Crowned Overall Messick Award Sportsmanship Champion By Conference Carolinas

Belmont Abbey College has been crowned the Messick Award winners by Conference Carolinas after a league-leading six teams were honored for exhibiting the best sportsmanship in all sports throughout the conference in the 2011-12 athletic year.

The Sportsmanship Award for specific sports are decided using a voting process implemented by Athletics Directors that calls for a coach and student-athlete representative to vote together and judge conference competitor’s sportsmanship. After all the votes have been submitted the conference office averages the results and the institution with the highest overall average is awarded each individual Sportsmanship Award for a conference sport.

Belmont Abbey led the league with the most individual sport winners, taking the honors in women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track and field and men’s lacrosse.

“It brings me great joy to know that our coaches and student-athletes are being recognized by Conference Carolinas for their commitment to compete with excellence and virtue,” Belmont Abbey College President Dr. William Thierfelder said.  “It is wonderful to know that we are practicing what we preach!”

The sportsmanship awards are presented annually to the member institution judged to have exhibited the highest degree of sportsmanship among its players, coaches, and fans during their regular playing season.

“I am extremely pleased to accept this honor on behalf of our entire athletics department,” Belmont Abbey Athletic Director Quin Monahan said. “The Messick Award represents so much of what we’re striving for at Belmont Abbey College and I’m gratified our peers have recognized us for this commitment.  Sportsmanship is an integral part of our pursuit of virtue and excellence in the athletic arena.”

The institution that has the highest average among conference members across all sports is awarded the highest conference sportsmanship award with the Messick Award as the overall sportsmanship winner for the entire athletic year. Belmont Abbey received the overall Messick Sportsmanship champion trophy at the conclusion of the conference’s annual spring meetings.