Pride cross country earns Musco Team Sportsmanship Award from the Heart

From the Heart of America Athletic Conference

For their display of the NAIA's Five Core Character Values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship & Servant Leadership, Clarke University has been selected the 2022 Musco Team Sportsmanship Award recipient for the sport of cross country, announced by the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

"This award was developed by the Heart Association of Student-Athletes (HASA) and I am proud to see this award recognized for a second-straight year across the conference," said Heart of America Athletic Conference Commissioner Lori Thomas. "Under head coach Janelle Branch, the Pride are very deserving of this award."

Teams are nominated by Athletics Administrators, Game Officials, Coaches, Student-Athletes and Fans.

Here is what the nominators had to say about the Pride:

"The Clarke cross country program has exemplified the NAIA core values this season by going above and beyond to help their community and fellow Clarke students. They dedicated their preseason to serving the Dubuque running community by setting up, volunteering at and tearing down a trail race for over 150 local runners. They also spent three full days painting the community weight room for Clarke students and greater community. They also consistently receive high praise from their professors and school staff for their high standards of conduct in the classroom and have been made team leaders and tutors in several classes."

For the fall season, the Heart will be awarding its Team Sportsmanship award to one team from each sport of football, women's soccer, men's soccer, women's volleyball and cross country.