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Somerset, NJ -- The Northeast Conference (NEC) recognized those teams that were most committed to pursuing victory with honor with the announcement of its 2018 Spring Team Sportsmanship Winners this afternoon. Central Connecticut, Robert Morris and Saint Francis U each won two awards apiece.

2017-18 Northeast Conference Team Sportsmanship Award Winners Spring Baseball - Wagner Men’s Golf - Robert Morris Women’s Golf - Central Connecticut Men’s Lacrosse - Robert Morris Women’s Lacrosse - Saint Francis U Men’s Outdoor Track & Field - Mount St. Mary’s Women’s Outdoor Track & Field - Central Connecticut Softball - Sacred Heart Men’s Tennis - Saint Francis U Women’s Tennis - Bryant 2017-18 Northeast Conference Final Tally - Team Sportsmanship Awards      Institution              No. of Awards      Central Connecticut            6      Bryant                         3      Mount St. Mary’s               2      Robert Morris                  2      Sacred Heart                   2      St. Francis Brooklyn           2      Saint Francis U                2      Caldwell                       1      Duquesne                       1      Wagner                         1

CCSU was awarded the sportsmanship award in women’s golf and women’s outdoor track and field. Robert Morris won in men’s golf for the fourth straight year and repeated as the men’s lacrosse honoree. Saint Francis U was recognized in women’s lacrosse and men’s tennis. Bryant women’s tennis was honored for the fourth consecutive year, Mount St. Mary’s earned distinction in men’s outdoor track and field, Sacred Heart in softball and Wagner took home the baseball award.

CCSU ended the 2017-18 academic year with a league-high six sportsmanship awards, followed by Bryant with three honors.

Instituted by league Presidents in 2008, the awards are designed to acknowledge the team in each conference sport that, in the opinion of its peers, most closely demonstrates good sportsmanship based on the NEC Principles of Sportsmanship and Standards of Conduct. Voting is conducted at the conclusion of each season by each team and head coach, who rank teams within the conference based on a set of criteria.

Since the NEC Team Sportsmanship program was instituted in 2008-09, Saint Francis U has won a conference-best 37 awards.  The Red Flash led the NEC in team sportsmanship honors each year from 2008-13.

“When I think of the traits common to Northeast Conference student-athletes, fair play and winning with integrity always come to mind first,” said Noreen Morris, NEC Commissioner. “I couldn’t be prouder of all the NEC student-athletes and coaches who continue to prioritize these values year after year, and congratulate those teams that have been recognized by their peers with this prestigious honor.”

About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 37th year, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#23), Baltimore (#27), and Hartford/New Haven (#30).  Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 22 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 14 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary's, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat, all @NECsports.