Blue Devils Earn Two NEC Spring Team Sportsmanship Awards
Central Connecticut earned a league-high six awards during the season.
The Northeast Conference announced the Spring Team Sportsmanship Awards for each of the 10 spring sports on Thursday with Central Connecticut claiming the award in two sports. The Blue Devils' women's outdoor track & field and women's golf teams were recognized as the winner of the award in their respective sports. CCSU ended the 2017-18 academic year with a league-high six sportsmanship awards, setting a single-season record for the department.
The CCSU women's track & field team placed second in the team standings at the NEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships for a second straight season. Junior Sierra Nesmith was named the 2018 Most Valuable Performer, becoming the first female athlete in program history to earn the honor.
The women's golf team placed sixth at the conference championship, with freshman Meghan McLean earning All-NEC Second Team honors after placing 12th individually. The team was also recognized with the highest overall team GPA at the annual Academic Awards Banquet.
Instituted by league Presidents in 2008, the awards are designed to acknowledge the team in each conference sport that, in the opinion of its peers, most closely demonstrates good sportsmanship based on the NEC Principles of Sportsmanship and Standards of Conduct. Voting is conducted at the conclusion of each season by each team and head coach, who rank teams within the conference based on a set of criteria.
"When I think of the traits common to Northeast Conference student-athletes, fair play and winning with integrity always come to mind first," said Noreen Morris, NEC Commissioner. "I couldn't be prouder of all the NEC student-athletes and coaches who continue to prioritize these values year after year, and congratulate those teams that have been recognized by their peers with this prestigious honor."