For Immediate Release
June 7, 2011
South Easton, Mass. – Bentley University senior Cheryl Martin (pictured) was named the recipient of the 2010-2011 Female Sportsmanship Award, while Saint Michael's College senior Alex Higgins was named the winner of the Male Sportsmanship Award.
Each year, the Northeast-10 honors a male and female student-athlete that have demonstrated one or more of the ideals of sportsmanship, including fairness, civility, honesty, unselfishness, respect and responsibility. The sportsmanship recipients will be forwarded as the conference's nominees for the NCAA Sportsmanship award. The NCAA will select a male and female winner from each of the three divisions as finalists, and then one male and female will be selected as the NCAA Sportsmanship Award winners.
Earlier this year, Martin, a member of the women's tennis team, was named the winner of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Arthur Ashe Award, which recognizes leadership and sportsmanship. Originally a member of the cross country and track and field teams at Bentley, Martin felt she needed to dedicate herself to one sport and chose tennis. As a senior, she was named a team captain, and her leadership and support of her teammates was apparent every day at practice and during matches. At times, matches can become rather competitive, Martin, however, was praised for her demeanor and attitude by her coach, Alex Wong. "Cheryl would never waiver on her sportsmanship, and while some coaches and players can be unkind, she kept true to her personality and character whether she won or lost."
Higgins, a member of the men's ice hockey team, has been a leader for the Purple Knights since arriving on campus four years ago. According to Coach Chris Davidson, Higgins "demonstrated a maturity and 'take charge' attitude of someone well beyond his years." He helped organize the school's hockey teams' volunteer efforts and was a leader on and off the ice. During his time at Saint Michael's, Higgins helped with a number of service projects, including a learn to skate program and helping with numerous hockey clinics for young people. Davidson continued, "He (Higgins) has the ability to inspire the people he works with and is a leader by example. His genuine concern for people and his sense of humor make him both loved and respected by his peers."
The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that are committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes. Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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