CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Lehigh women’s lacrosse captain Lauren Beausoleil and Lehigh men’s track & field captain Chris Foley, both recent graduates, are the 2016-17 recipients of the Patriot League Sportsmanship Awards. Both were selected through a vote by administrators of the League’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
The Patriot League Sportsmanship Awards are in its 12th year after being created to honor student-athletes that uphold the principles on which the League was founded – fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics. The awards are open to all Patriot League student-athletes, with each of the 10 full member institutions eligible to nominate a male and female for the award.
Beausoleil helped the Mountain Hawks to the League semifinals this season, while earning Second Team All-Patriot League. She was selected as a team captain by her teammates and has also served in every phase of the Lehigh Athletics Leadership Academy. She was a two-year member of the Student-Athlete Council, was a student-athlete mentor and also served on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. During her time at Lehigh Beausoleil she also volunteered with the Adopt-A-Family program during the holiday season.
“Lauren’s character is built on the accumulation of all the little details that have come together to define her athletic career,” head coach Jill Redfern said. “This spectacular student-athlete is an exemplary representative of Patriot League Women's Lacrosse. Lauren simply loves to play. She loves her team and her school and even her opponents. She finds the best in all parties. She frames the game in a unique way. The game is an opportunity for her and her team to shine, to demonstrate all they have worked so hard to achieve. Equally, for her, it is a time to respect her opponents, knowing they too have sacrificed and dedicated themselves to the game we all love.”
“I have known Lauren for four plus years, but I am sure that my description of her and someone she has recently met would be similar,” teammate Allison LaBeau said. “Kind, caring, selfless, outgoing, hardworking, creative and energetic are just a few that come to mind right away. Lauren allows her personality to shine through with anyone and anywhere, no matter what the situation. She has been an incredible roommate, friend and teammate to me and no one is more deserving of an award to recognize her sportsmanship.”
Foley, a team captain, has been a vocal leader on a Mountain Hawks men’s track & field team that finished fifth at the 2017 Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships, while finishing 13th in the shot put. Foley has participated in the Lehigh Leadership Academy, including the Legacies program and also served as a Student-Athlete Mentor to support first-year student-athletes.
“(Foley) wants success for himself, but also wants the same, if not more success, for his teammates and competitors,” teammate Lucas Warning said. “Not only has he done his best to involve everyone in the event by treating every athlete as if they were his teammate, he also has dealt with a lot of adversity in his athletic career and has pushed through and still been a part of the team and just as great of a spectator as he was as an athlete. After multiple, sometimes season ending, injuries, he was still at every competition cheering on the entire crowd towards success.”
“Chris has been a force in the change of culture on our team,” head coach Matt Utesch said. “Last year as a captain, Chris played a major role in our leadership group called "The 30." Chris has had a difficult athletic career, as he has undergone two ACL surgeries. During those difficult times Chris did not lose his vision, rather he developed compassion for his competitors and appreciation for the hard work going on around him. This appreciation did not stop with his team. He has come to a place where he clearly sees the contributions of others, moreover he has the courage to share with those people appreciation for the effort they display.”
Initially awarded at the conclusion of the 2005-06 academic year, the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award is open to all Patriot League student-athletes, with one male and one female winner selected each year. The Patriot League has established this Sportsmanship Award to recognize and honor those who demonstrate the values of respect and integrity through a specific action ideally directed towards an opponent. Nominees must have consistently demonstrated the values of respect and integrity in his or her daily participation in intercollegiate athletics. Student-athlete or team nominees must be affiliated with a Patriot League sponsored sport during the academic year. In addition, nominees must be in good academic standing at the time of the award application.
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.