CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Virginia Military Institute has been awarded the Big South Conference’s Team Sportsmanship Award for men’s soccer, it was announced today by Commissioner Kyle B. Kallander.  VMI receives its fifth team sportsmanship award since the Conference’s Sportsmanship Awards program began in 2005-06.

The Keydets, under the direction of first-year head coach Ben Freakley, received two first-place votes and 12 points, just ahead of second-place Liberty (three first-place votes and 10 points).  Winthrop and Birmingham-Southern tied for third in the voting with seven points each.  The Eagles received two first-place votes, while the Panthers tallied one first-place nod. 

The team awards are voted on by Big South student-athletes and are awarded at the end of each competitive season.  Teams cannot vote for themselves.  Each institution ranks and votes for its top three.  Teams receive three points for a first-place ranking, two points for a second-place ranking and one point for a third-place ranking.  

“The Big South Conference places great emphasis on the values of sportsmanship and fair play,” said Kallander.  “The creation of these awards appropriately recognizes those student-athletes and coaches within the Conference that are leaders in exemplifying these values.”

At the conclusion of the 2006-07 athletic season, the institutional sportsmanship award will be announced.  Virginia Military Institute was the inaugural Conference winner last season.  An institution’s sport winners will count towards the Institution Sportsmanship Award.  The winner is determined on a system recognizing the highest percentage of the maximum possible points each institution is capable of achieving in that year.  The institution with the highest percentage will win the award.

2006-07 Big South Team Sportsmanship Award Winners 
Men’s Soccer:.....................VMI 
Women’s Soccer:................Charleston Southern 
Men’s Cross Country:..........Liberty
Women’s Cross Country:.....Liberty 

Men’s Soccer Sportsmanship Award Winners
2005:....UNC Asheville
2006:....VMI