Sosa receives Sportsmanship award

Maleah Sosa, a sophomore lacrosse player at Missouri Western State University and Choctaw tribal member, recently received the Great Lakes Valley Conference’s James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award for the second year in a row.

In an effort to support and promote the good sportsmanship demonstrated throughout the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the league awards the schools and student-athletes who exemplify and demonstrate fairness, graciousness, and respect toward teammates, opposing teams, coaches, and officials before, during, and after competitions. In previous years, the GLVC awarded one institution, one team from each of its 20 sports, one male athlete, and one female athlete each year with the GLVC Sportsmanship Award. As of April 2016, however, exemplary sportsmanship and ethical behavior displayed at the conference are recognized with the awarding of the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Awards.

James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Awards are given each year to the institutions and student-athletes who actively demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship, character, and conduct during competition throughout the year.  The James R. Spalding Individual Sportsmanship Award winners are selected from each institution’s season-long list of nominees compiled by each sport’s head coaches. Furthermore, each institution’s coaches rank the top three teams within their sport that best displayed good sportsmanship throughout the season. The team with the highest point total is then named that sport’s James R. Spalding Team Sportsmanship Award winner. At the conclusion of the academic year, the institution that accumulated the highest point total across all sports is awarded the James R. Spalding Overall Sportsmanship Award.