INDIANAPOLIS – University of Illinois-Springfield senior Punsisi Dayaratne and Maryville University freshman Justine Seidel have been named the recipients of the 2011 Great Lakes Valley Conference Male and Female Sportsmanship Awards, respectively. Dayaratne and Seidel are the first recipients of this award and will also be the representatives from the GLVC for the 2011 NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Awards.
The GLVC Sportsmanship Awards are presented to one male and one female student-athlete who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior.
Nominees for the GLVC Sportsmanship Awards are presented to the conference office by each institution’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The GLVC Executive Committee reviews the slate of nominations and determines the recipients of the awards.
Dayaratne, a member of the men’s tennis team at UIS, has exemplified the etiquette expected in the game. He has shown respect for his opponents and has played fairly and honestly in a sport where decisions on line calls are determined by the players. Dayaratne has displayed respect, civility and integrity even when disagreeing with an opponent’s call and has never had a point penalty while competing for the Prairie Stars.
He has proven to be a true sportsman with respect to his opponents by assisting when in need. Specifically, in one instance, providing a sports drink to an opponent when he was in need and no teammates were available to assist.
Seidel, a cross country and track and field student-athlete for the Saints, has led by example for Maryville in her first year with the institution. Despite the outcome of her competition, Seidel makes a point to congratulate and encourage the opponents finishing around her at a meet. She then makes the effort to run back on the course to encourage her teammates still competing in the race, consistently putting her team before self.
In addition to putting forth a strong effort in the classroom, Seidel has proven to be a natural leader both vocally and by example. One such example is a recently organized trip she led for fellow student-athletes to help developmentally disabled children learn to skate.
Dayaratne and Seidel will be nominated by the GLVC for the annual NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award. The recipients of the NCAA Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Awards are announced in August.