June 12, 2008

Patriot League Male and Female Sportsmanship Award

Center Valley, Pa. - For the third year in a row the Patriot League has honored one male and one female as its Sportsmanship Award winners. Lehigh men's basketball student-athlete Bryan White and Lafayette women's track and field student-athlete Asia Hollis were voted as the 2008 honorees. The Patriot League Sportsmanship Awards were created to honor student-athletes that uphold the principles on which the League was founded - fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics.

The Patriot League Sportsmanship awards are open to all Patriot League student-athletes. One male and one female are chosen. Each of the eight Patriot League institutions are eligible to nominate candidates for the award, which is then voted on by the Patriot League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The winners of the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award are then forwarded on to the NCAA to be considered for the national honor.

White always served as a calming voice for the Mountain Hawk basketball team, inspiring his teammates to remain composed, exhibit high levels of sportsmanship and to seize every opportunity that came their way. As the captain of his squad, White would encourage his teammates to handle calls that may not have gone their way with great poise and to move on from those hurdles. He was an inspiration to his entire team and left the group with encouraging words after their season came to an end in the Patriot League Tournament. He told his teammates to embrace the opportunities before them and that time is short so they should appreciate every opportunity afforded to them.

The now graduated White was a four-year member of Lehigh's C.O.A.C.H. Program (Community Outreach by Athletes who Care about Helping) and was involved in the National Society of Black Engineers group on campus.

Hollis showed a great deal of sportsmanship at the 2008 Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championship, although most never saw her gracious act. Hollis and teammate Janica Austin were both competing in the 400-meter race. Austin crossed the line first followed by Hollis, but due to a lane violation Austin was disqualified and thus moving Hollis up to first place. At the conclusion of the championship meet Hollis was awarded the 400-meter gold medal. She then went and sat down next to her teammate Austin and said "this belongs to you" as she handed her the gold medal. Hollis did this quietly and not many people saw what had happened. Hollis did not do this for recognition or applause, but rather because that is what felt right to her.

Hollis, a rising sophomore, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and participated in the Education for Hope program that gives opportunities for kids to go to school in areas they can not afford.

All three of the Patriot League Male Sportsmanship Awards have gone to student-athletes from Lehigh with Joe Knight (men's basketball) earning the inaugural award for the 2005-06 year and Arthur "Robbie" Walsh (men's lacrosse) winning for 2006-07.

This is the second year in a row a Lafayette student-athlete was honored as the Patriot League Female Sportsmanship Award winner. Ashley Yelland (women's soccer) earned the honor for the 2006-07 year. Navy's Meredith Addington (women's basketball) was the recipient of the first award after the conclusion of the 2005-06 academic year. Last year a team was also given the Patriot League Female Sportsmanship Award with the Army women's basketball team being recognized as well.