INDIANAPOLIS – University of Missouri-St. Louis junior
Jessica Mrzlak of the softball team and sophomore
Juan Antonio Padilla of the men's golf team have been named as the Tritons' James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2020-21 year. The award is named after the former Bellarmine director of athletics and multi-sport coach who is considered one of the pioneers of the GLVC.
The duo were two of 30 student-athletes, one male and one female from each of the league's 15 schools, formally recognized after learning of their honors during their respective All-Conference process this past year.
Each institution – through the head coach – names one award honoree at the end of their respective sports season who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The student-athlete must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. With their sport recognition, the honorees became eligible for the overall James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award, where each institution selects one male and one female student-athlete from its season-long list of honorees to be named as James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Individual Award winners.
In addition to Mrzlak and Padilla, UMSL's other honorees during the year included: Benjamin VandenBrink (men's cross country and men's outdoor track and field), Kyle Coleman (men's soccer), Shane Wissink (men's basketball), Raphael Kerndl (men's tennis), Josh Shoemaker (baseball),
Corinne Daley (women's cross country), Emily Hanewinkel (women's soccer), Karlyn Hannewald (volleyball), Kiara Stewart (women's basketball), Olivia Fiorina (women's swimming), Alex Becker (women's outdoor track and field), Anna Domingo (women's tennis), and Sophie Faulkner (women's golf).
Furthermore, during the initial nomination process, each institution's coach ranks the top-three teams within the sport that best displayed good sportsmanship throughout the season. The team with the highest point total is then named that sport's James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Team Award winner. At the conclusion of the academic year, the institution that accumulated the highest point total across all sports is named the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Overall Award winner. This year's winner is Southwest Baptist.
The GLVC renamed its annual sportsmanship award in 2016 after Spalding for his longtime service at Bellarmine. Spalding was first a basketball student-athlete at Bellarmine, who later returned to serve his alma mater as a coach and later the AD. During his tenure as AD, Spalding played a prominent role in both the formation of the GLVC and the sponsorship expansion of women's athletics within the league. He died in 2012 at the age of 79 following a lengthy illness.
2020-21 GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD WINNERS
Men's Cross Country: Illinois Springfield |
Women's Cross Country: Southwest Baptist |
Football: Truman State |
Volleyball: Southwest Baptist & William Jewell |
Men's Soccer: Missouri-St. Louis |
Women's Soccer: Missouri S&T |
Men's Swimming: Missouri S&T |
Women's Swimming: Lindenwood |
Men's Basketball: McKendree & Southwest Baptist |
Women's Basketball: Southwest Baptist |
Women's Bowling: McKendree |
Wrestling: Davenport |
Men's Lacrosse: Quincy |
Women's Lacrosse: Quincy |
Men's Golf: Missouri S&T |
Women's Golf: Maryville |
Men's Tennis: Quincy |
Women's Tennis: Southern Indiana |
Baseball: Truman State |
Softball: Quincy |
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Indianapolis |
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Southwest Baptist |
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2020-21 GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS
School |
Male Winner |
Female Winner |
Drury |
Conley Garrison, Basketball |
Serena Berrey, Golf |
Illinois Springfield |
Tyler Pasley, Cross Country |
Natalie Cokel, Softball |
Indianapolis |
Brian Sales, Outdoor Track & Field |
Pilar Echeverria, Golf |
Lewis |
Keith Parkman II, Lacrosse |
Jamie Hansen, Soccer |
Lindenwood |
Hector Horcajada, Men's Tennis |
Kat Finnerty, Volleyball |
Maryville |
Bailey Kelly, Wrestling |
Hannah Tolley, Softball |
McKendree |
Jaimie Omalla, Outdoor Track & Field |
Rebecca Hagerman, Bowling |
Missouri S&T |
Braden Mahurin, Baseball |
Cameryn Boucher, Soccer |
Missouri-St. Louis |
Juan Antonio Padilla, Golf |
Jessica Mrzlak, Softball |
Quincy |
Jacob Kalusniak, Baseball |
Alaina Rothermich, Volleyball |
Rockhurst |
Jake Bastien, Lacrosse |
McKenna Leetch, Soccer |
Southern Indiana |
Josef Winkler, Soccer |
Callie Gubera, Volleyball |
Southwest Baptist |
Asa Carter, Outdoor Track & Field |
Regan Tibbits, Basketball |
Truman |
Carson Lackey, Outdoor Track & Field |
Hannah Pinkston, Basketball |
William Jewell |
Anthony Hansen, Baseball |
Maddie Wingert, Volleyball |