Murray State University Athletics
MSU Women's Golf Wins OVC Sportsmanship Honor
5/26/2006 5:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
After a successful season on the course, the Murray State Women's Golf squad was honored this week as the recipient of the first Ohio Valley Conference Sportsmanship Award for women's golf.
This is the first year for sport-specific awards in the league. Voted on by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports, the team awards are bestowed upon the Conference squads deemed to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical behavior as outlined by the OVC and NCAA. Included in the areas for evaluation are the conduct of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators and fans.
The Lady Racers made a positive impact on the other members of OVC women's golf who honored the MSU squad with the inaugural award. The Lady Racers peers in the OVC are: Austin Peay,
MSU Head Coach Velvet Milkman said she has enjoyed coaching this particular group of young women.
“When we play, we play hard and compete to win,” Milkman said. “However, we never forget about being respectful of our opponents and the game and we're all honored that our fellow coaches and players in the OVC saw that in us.”
"I am extremely pleased and proud of the team and Velvet," Allen Ward, MSU Athletics Director said. "Coach Milkman has shown outstanding leadership and I congratulate her and the team for receiving this award. It's wonderful for these young ladies to be recognized by our peers in the OVC. They are very deserving. "
“Sportsmanship is a core value of the Ohio Valley Conference,” said OVC Commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher, “and it is especially gratifying for our student-athletes and coaches to be recognized for their leadership by the very individuals against whom they compete. The
The OVC's sportsmanship statement has much to say about how coaches and student-athletes should conduct themselves.
It says coaches have the greatest amount of influence over whether the young people in their programs are taught and follow the high principles of sportsmanship. And Coaches must pay special attention to their student-athletes' behavior and continually emphasize the need for sportsmanship and respect.
In addition the OVC sportsmanship statement says student-athletes respect for the game also demands respect for the opponent. And OVC student-athletes must understand that they are perhaps the most visible representatives of their institutions. Also, their behavior is observed and emulated by many who are younger.
“I can't say enough about our team,” Milkman said. “Our team always works hard to represent
