BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Not only did Austin Peay State University men’s basketball team capture the Ohio Valley Conference basketball tournament championship, they also were voted the 2015-16 OVC Team Sportsmanship Award for their sport as well.
That was announced Friday by the OVC office along with Eastern Illinois being selected the recipient on the women’s side.
Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators and fans.
Austin Peay was the No. 8 seed for this year’s OVC Men’s Basketball Championship and won four games in four days to claim its fifth overall OVC Tournament title and first since 2008. The Governors were the lowest seed to ever win the OVC Tournament crown and appeared in its seventh NCAA Tournament.
“The OVC is very competitive but not at the expense of sportsmanship,” APSU coach Dave Loos said. “I think it is a good concept the league annually recognizes good sporting behavior in each sport.
“We are proud to be this year’s recipient in men’s basketball.”
The 2015-16 school year marks the 11th year the team sportsmanship honors have been awarded. It marks the third overall award for the Austin Peay program (2007-08, 2009-10).
“Without sportsmanship there are truly no meaningful victories,” said Beth DeBauche, OVC Commissioner. “The recipients of the OVC Team Sportsmanship awards should accept this award with great pride for their fellow competitors have made it clear their teams exemplify the best in intercollegiate athletics. In receiving this prestigious honor other competitors are saying these student-athletes compete with class, respect their opponents and value fair play. That is quite a compliment as those are all traits that will lead to true victories throughout the course of life.”