FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University’s Courtney Berger (Stratford, N.J.), the coxswain of the freshman 8 boat, been selected as the winner of the 2011 Female Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award. This is the first time an NSU athlete has received this award and the first time a Sunshine State Conference school athlete has received the honor.

At halftime of the NSU women's soccer match Friday evening, Derrick Ramsey, the NCAA Committiee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct chairing member and Director of Athletics at Coppin State, presented Berger with the NCAA sportsmanship trophy recoginizing her efforts last spring.

"Sportsmanship is certainly one of our pillars of success within the Department of Athletics,” athletic director Michael Mominey said. “More importantly however, is that civility and societal responsibility is one of the core values of our university. With Courtney receiving the national sportsmanship award, it further confirms that we have student-athletes who are not only committed to athletic excellence but overall excellence.”

Led by Berger, the Freshman Eight coxswain, the NSU student-athletes gave aid to a Rollins rower who was having a medical emergency while on the water.

“I am exceedingly proud of each and every girl in that boat,” said former head coach John Gartin. “Going to the aid of and tending to another rower in distress no matter the uniform color is something the rowing community would be very proud of. It really epitomizes how the rowers and the rowing community are always willing to lend a hand no matter the circumstances.”

Competing in the SIRA regatta in April, the crew noticed that the distressed rower had slumped over her oar while having severe difficulty breathing and not responding to verbal cues from her teammates. The officials had not seen the rower in distress, and the Rollins crew was having difficulty securing assistance for its teammate.

Berger maneuvered her 60-foot long boat to position herself close enough to jump into the Tar shell and lent aid. She then held the rower upright until she regained control of her breathing and consciousness. Berger's crew shouted words of encouragement and flagged down an official's launch to secure further assistance.

Joining Berger in the Shark Freshman Eight boat that day were Victoria Ciccone (Fr., Brigantine, N.J.), Emily Harrington (Fr., Virginia Beach, Va.), Deonnah Findley (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn.), Jennifer McDaniel (Fr., Deland, Fla.), Nicole Mesa (Fr., Pembroke Pines, Fla.), Heather Reese (Fr., Charlston, S.C.), Caitlin Mooney (Fr., Centerville, Mass.), and Dayna Triana (Fr., Homassa, Fla.).

The Sportsmanship Award is given by the Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct (CSEC) to honor student-athletes who demonstrate acts of sportsmanship that have a positive impact on teammates, opponents and fans.

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