CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) - Liberty University has been named the winner of the Big South Conference's annual Institutional Sportsmanship Award for the 2011-12 athletic season, it was announced today by the League office.  Liberty receives the honor for the first time.

The overall winner is determined on a system recognizing the highest percentage of the maximum possible points an institution is capable of achieving for each team award.  The team awards were voted on by Big South student-athletes following each Conference championship. 

Liberty, which was honored with seven team sportsmanship awards in 2011-12, was tops among the Big South membership with a 30.91 percentage of the maximum points received in its sponsored League sports.  The Flames were voted by Big South student-athletes as the top sportsmanship team in women's cross country, women's soccer, men's soccer (co-winner), men's basketball (co-winner), men's golf, men's outdoor track & field and women's outdoor track & field.  Virginia Military Institute finished second with a 28.10 percentage, followed by Gardner-Webb University at 25.33 percent.

"Sportsmanship and Fair Play are core values of the Big South Conference and its members," said Big South Commissioner Kyle B. Kallander.  "The Institutional Sportsmanship Award is one of our most significant honors as it recognizes the institution that has most consistently upheld these values and conducted its athletics program in a sportsmanlike manner.  We congratulate Liberty and all the team winners for their outstanding year!"

2011-12 Big South Team Sportsmanship Award Winners