RICHARDSON, Texas - Eight American Southwest Conference member institutions were recognized by the conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as recipients of ASC-SAAC Team Sportsmanship awards for the fall 2017 sport seasons.
The SAAC Team Sportsmanship award honors the member institution in each ASC championship sport that best displays positive qualities of sportsmanship and fair play from its student-athletes, coaches and fans throughout the season. The fall 2017 awards are presented in men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball with each of the 13 campus SAACs voting within the sports it sponsors.
Hardin-Simmons University and East Texas Baptist University led the ASC with two team SAAC awards each.
ETBU was recognized in both men's and women's cross country. ETBU has earned the women's cross country award for five consecutive years (2013-17) while men's cross country has been honored in three of the last four seasons (2014, 2015).
The HSU Cowgirls were SAAC Team Sportsmanship co-recipients in women's soccer with McMurry University and shared West Division volleyball honors with Concordia University Texas. Hardin-Simmons was honored in women's soccer in 2012 and 2016 and volleyball in 2012. McMurry also received the SAAC award in 2011 and 2016. This is the fifth time for Concordia Texas volleyball to take home the award (2009, 2010, 2013, 2016).
University of Texas at Dallas and Belhaven University were co-recipients of the SAAC Team Sportsmanship award for East Division volleyball. Belhaven also earned the award last season and UT Dallas was selected in 2008, 2009 and 2013.
Howard Payne University earned the SAAC Sportsmanship Team Award in football for a fifth time, also claiming the honor in 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
In men's soccer, Louisiana College came up with its sixth SAAC Team Sportsmanship award, having also been recognized in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016.
The ASC SAAC Team Sportsmanship award is presented for the 11th year during the 2017-18 sport seasons. The winter award recipients will be announced following completion of the men's and women's basketball championships.
ASC Fall 2017 SAAC Team Sportsmanship Award
Presented by the ASC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Men's Cross Country: East Texas Baptist
Women's Cross Country: East Texas Baptist
Football: Howard Payne
Men's Soccer: Louisiana College
Women's Soccer: (co) Hardin-Simmons, McMurry
Volleyball, East Division: (co) Belhaven, UT Dallas
Volleyball, West Division: (co) Concordia Texas, Hardin-Simmons