GNAC Announces Sportsmanship Award Recipients

By Natalie West

GNAC Communications and Special Events Specialist

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference has announced their 2008-2009 Sportsmanship Award recipients: Norwich University Women’s Athletic program and St. Joseph’s College of Maine Men’s Athletic program. This award is presented to a GNAC athletic program including their student athletes, coaches, administrators, and fans that exhibit outstanding sportsmanship.

“It is a very prestigious award. We are one of the only conferences that has sportsmanship awards and the fact that it is voted on by the student-athletes makes it such an honor,” stated GNAC Commissioner Joe Walsh.

Anthony Mariano, Norwich University’s Athletic Director is extremely pleased and honored to receive the award. “We take pride in providing competitive athletic teams with student athletes who participate in an honorable way. This award is indeed a great accomplishment for Norwich."

Brian Curtin, St. Joseph’s College of Maine’s Athletic Director stated, "As a department, we are proud that our women's teams have been selected for this prestigious GNAC Sportsmanship Award. Our coaches and our student-athletes know that Sportsmanship is a priority and we are proud to be part of a conference that calls Sportsmanship one of its core values."

The 2008-2009 Sportsmanship award is presented by the GNAC Chair of Ethics Committee and Suffolk University Athletic Director Jim Nelson.