The Great American Conference announced its annual sportsmanship awards for the 2025‑26 athletic season, honoring Harding University’s men’s golf and men’s soccer teams for embodying character and fair play.
Conference head coaches determined the winners through a point system that rewards programs for integrity, community engagement and positive game‑environment conduct.
Harding’s men’s golf program added another chapter to its storied legacy, securing its seventh overall GAC sportsmanship award and its fourth in the last five years, while the men’s soccer squad captured the honor for a second consecutive season.
A Legacy of Character
Commissioner Will Prewitt noted that the awards spotlight institutions that succeed in ways that win‑loss columns cannot reflect, reinforcing the conference’s emphasis on holistic development.
The Sportsmanship Award program was launched in 2012 by the conference’s Student‑Athlete Advisory Committee, aiming to celebrate excellence beyond the scoreboard and to promote the NCAA Division II mission of character building.
Each winning program will receive a championship‑style banner to display at its home venue, serving as a visible reminder of the standards the conference upholds.