SUWANEE, Ga. – The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) announced its 2025-26 Winter Sportsmanship Team awards on Wednesday, highlighted by the Colorado College women’s basketball program being recognized for the fifth consecutive season.
The SCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee instituted the award prior to the 2016-17 academic year in an effort to honor the team that best portrays good sportsmanship and fair play from the players and coaches during the season. The winter awards are presented in men's and women's basketball and men's and women's swimming and diving.
On the hardwood, the Tiger women won for the eighth time in program history. This current run of five-straight is the first of its kind in SCAC women’s basketball and matches the CC men’s program run of five consecutive from 2018-19 through 2022-23. The Colorado College women also won the honor in back-to-back years in 2016-17 and 2017-18 and was additionally recognized in 2019-20 to go along with its current run of five-straight. Hendrix College finished second, while Austin College and Concordia University (Tex.) finished tied for third.
For the men, University of the Ozarks and University of St. Thomas shared top honors. It marks the first time in SCAC history two programs have been recognized in the same season and the first for both institutions to be recognized by their peers. The Eagles and Celts were followed in the balloting by the University of Dallas.
In swimming and diving, the University of the Ozarks women’s program secured the program’s first ever SAAC Sportsmanship Award after finishing third last season. The Eagles are just the sixth different program to win the accolade. Ausitn College, who previously had been recognized the last three years finished second and Colorado College, who earned the award following the 2020-21 season was selected third.
On the men's side, the University of St. Thomas claimed top honors, followed by Austin College and the University of the Ozarks. The recognition marks the first in program history for the Celts, who become just the fifth different program in SCAC history to earn the award.
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference 2025-26 Winter Team Sportsmanship Award
Men's Basketball: University of the Ozarks, University of St. Thomas
Women's Basketball: Colorado College
Men's Swimming & Diving: University of St. Thomas
Women's Swimming & Diving: University of the Ozarks
The awards were voted on by each member institution's SAAC, with each individual group ranking the top three teams in each sport. The first place selections were awarded five points, second place earned three points and third place earned one point. Points were then totaled to select the conference's overall winner.
