June 16, 2005

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland softball and men's tennis teams were honored with the Atlantic Coast Conference sportsmanship award for the spring season, the conference announced today. Teams that received the award conducted themselves with a high degree of character and good sportsmanship, as determined by a vote of the league's teams.

The Terrapin softball team finished the year with a 28-21 overall record and a fourth-place finish at the conference championship, which was held at the Terrapin Softball Complex. Head coach Gina LaMandre concluded her 11th season at the helm of the program and guided the Terrapins to wins over ranked teams such as Georgia, Florida State and Missouri.

"I feel very proud that other teams in the ACC voted for us," LaMandre said of her team's second-consecutive sportsmanship award. "I'm very proud of the team and it means a lot that our athletes exude sportsmanship," she said.

The men's tennis team finished the season with eight wins and was led by Ian Bliss. Bliss had an 11-7 overall record, including two victories over ACC foes.

"It's an honor to be voted by your fellow schools for the sportsmanship award," Terp head coach Jim Laitta said. "It says a lot about the type of kids we recruit here at the University of Maryland."

The conference presents sportsmanship awards for each of its 25 sponsored sports. The concept of these awards was created by the ACC Student Athlete Advisory Committee in an effort to recognize teams that earned the utmost regard from their peers during competition. As is stated in the conference's Mission Statement, "It [the ACC] strongly adheres to the principles of integrity and sportsmanship, and supports the total development of the student-athlete and each member institution's athletics department staff, with the intent of producing enlightened leadership for tomorrow."