Framingham State Women's Soccer Honored By NCAA
The 2006 Framingham State College Women’s Soccer Team was awarded the 2007-08 NCAA Sportsmanship Award by the NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct.
FRAMINGHAM STATE WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM RECIEVES NCAA SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
FRAMINGHAM, MA - The Framingham State College Athletic
Department is pleased to announce that the 2006 Framingham State
College Women's Soccer Team has been awarded the 2007-08 NCAA
Sportsmanship Award by the NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and
Ethical Conduct.
The Rams received their award because of their action on October 29th, 2006 during a Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) game with the Bridgewater State College Bears. At stake in the game was a post-season berth in the MASCAC Tournament for the Rams and a regular season MASCAC Title for the Bears.
In the 59th minute of play, the Rams took a 1-0 lead as
they were awarded a controversial goal by the officials.
Freshman forward Kellen Dougherty, who was credited with the goal,
and several of her teammates immediately informed head coach Tucker
Reynolds and the bench that they should not have been awarded a
goal as the ball went through the side netting rather than the
front of the goal.
Reynolds instructed his team to inform the officials of the error and after conferring the officials let the call stand and the Rams held a 1-0 lead. In the next minute of play, Reynolds tried to right the wrong by instructing his team to allow Bridgewater State to score and level the playing field and the game again at 1-1.
The Rams eventually lost the game 3-2 and their season ended on Maple Street Field that day, but Reynolds believes the lesson his team, many of whom are studying to be teachers, learned will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The Framingham State College women's soccer team was not the only ones recognized for their sportsmanship by the NCAA. Also receiving the 2007-08 NCAA Sportsmanship Award was Brian Hung a tennis student-athlete at the University of Michigan. The women's soccer team and Hung were chosen from six finalists - three male and three female - and more than 100 nominations for the award representing all three divisions of the NCAA. Divisional winners of the NCAA Sportsmanship Award include Sarah Galon (Cleveland State University), Kieron Jennings (Southern Connecticut University), Lisa Baumgartner (Clarion University), and Andrew Winters (St. Norbert College).
For further information on the award, please visit www.ncaa.org