Millersville Lacrosse and West Chester’s LeQuan Chapman Named PSAC Sportsmanship Award Winners
Lock Haven, Pa. – Millersville women’s lacrosse team and West Chester’s LeQuan Chapman have been selected as the PSAC Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2012-13 academic year.
On March 16, 2013, tragedy struck the lacrosse community. The Seton Hill University women’s lacrosse team was involved in a serious bus accident on its way to play Millersville. The accident injured numerous team members and killed head coach Kristina Quigley and her unborn son Jackson. After the accident, the Millersville lacrosse squad knew it had to do something to help Seton Hill and the lacrosse community. The Marauders and head coach Mia Hall quickly organized a fundraiser in honor of Coach Quigley and the Seton Hill team. Crimson red with gold lettering “onelaxfamily KQ” armbands went on sale just days following the accident and have currently raised over $10,000. All proceeds have been donated to a scholarship fund for Gavin Quigley, the son of the late Kristina Quigley. The armbands have been sold to teams and players throughout the country and can still be purchased
here.
Chapman, a junior West Chester jumper/sprinter, was running the 100-meter dash at the Lock Haven Qualifier, one of the last opportunities for athletes to qualify for the conference championship. Chapman was racing in lane six and Maxwell Lalwani, of Mansfield University was positioned in lane seven. When the starter fired the gun, Chapman accidently entered lane seven when leaving the blocks and knocked Lalwani to the ground and prevented Lalwani from finishing the race. The official did not see what happened to cause Lalwani to fall and was reluctant to listen to the protesting Mansfield coach who tried to explain what happened to Lalwani. Chapman, knowing it was his error that caused the fall, immediately made his way to the official at the conclusion of the race and explained that he should be disqualified from the race and Lalwani be permitted to run in the next heat. After much convincing and pleading by Chapman, the official allowed Lalwani to enter the next heat, while Chapman was disqualified.
The PSAC Sportsmanship Award, now in its fifth year, is given annually to one male and one female student-athlete or team that best exemplifies the spirit of sportsmanship and who has demonstrated the values of respect and integrity through a specific action ideally directed toward an opponent.
A nominee must also have represented his/her institution in a positive way during competition and must have demonstrated good citizenship outside of competition by fostering a good public image. At the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year, the PSAC Sportsmanship Award was implemented by the PSAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Nominations may be submitted by any PSAC school personnel, including administrators, coaches and student-athletes. Nominations are voted on by members of the PSAC SAAC.
Both 2012-13 PSAC Sportsmanship Awards winners have been submitted for consideration for the NCAA Sportsmanship Awards. The NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct selects one male and one female student-athlete or team from each Division (I, II, III). The NCAA divisional winners will be released in late July.
Other nominees for the 2012-13 PSAC Sportsmanship Awards are listed below.
Lauren Duncan, Clarion, Women’s Volleyball
Alyssa Flanagan, Bloomsburg, Women’s Basketball
Eddie Mateo, Bloomsburg, Football
Edinboro Women’s Soccer Team
Millersville Baseball Team