June 17, 2004
Georgia Tech was named the recipient of the first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Sportsmanship School of the Year Award, the conference office announced Thursday.
The ACC presents sportsmanship awards for each of its 25 sponsored sports. Teams receiving the award have conducted themselves with a high degree of character and good sportsmanship, as determined by a vote of the league’s teams.
Tech won the overall award by virtue of winning outright sportsmanship awards in the highest percentage of its sponsored sports (26.7%). The Yellow Jackets won sportsmanship awards in four sports: Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Women’s Tennis and Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track & Field. A traveling trophy will be on display at Georgia Tech for one year.
The concept of these awards was created by the ACC Student Athlete Advisory Committee in an effort to recognize teams who earned the utmost regard from their peers during competition. As is stated in the conference’s Mission Statement, “It [the ACC] strongly adheres to the principles of integrity and sportsmanship, and supports the total development of the student-athlete and each member institution’s athletics department staff, with the intent of producing enlightened leadership for tomorrow.”
Georgia Tech received awards in three spring sports, while North Carolina and Virginia each collected two accolades and Clemson, Maryland, NC State and Wake Forest each tallied one honor apiece.
Spring Sports: Recipient
Men’s Tennis: NC State
Women’s Tennis: Georgia Tech
Men’s Golf: Clemson
Women’s Golf: Wake Forest
Men’s Lacrosse: Virginia
Women’s Lacrosse: North Carolina
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field: Georgia Tech
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field: Georgia Tech
Rowing: North Carolina
Softball: Maryland
Baseball: Virginia
