April 26, 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Virginia Tech women's basketball team was one of seven athletic teams named by the Atlantic Coast Conference as a recipient of the 2005-06 Winter Sportsmanship Award. Teams receiving the award have conducted themselves with a high degree of character and good sportsmanship, as determined by a vote of the league's players and coaches.

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 who 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."

Six schools - Boston College (2), Duke, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest - were recognized by their peers as the sportsmanship award winners for the league's seven sponsored winter sports.

"Our players handled both victory and defeat with class and dignity," said Virginia Tech women's basketball head coach Beth Dunkenberger. "They exemplify the true spirit of Hokie athletics."

The Virginia Tech women's soccer team received the 2005-06 Fall Sportsmanship Award.

The following is a complete list of the 2005 Winter Sportsmanship Award recipients:
Sport - Recipient
Men's Basketball - Wake Forest
Women's Basketball - Virginia Tech
Men's Indoor Track & Field - Boston College
Women's Indoor Track & Field - Virginia
Men's Swimming & Diving - Boston College
Women's Swimming & Diving - Duke
Wrestling - Maryland