The Anderson University men's soccer program brought home its third Ethics/Sportsmanship Award for the recent National Soccer Coaches Association of America convention - one of the association's highest honors for the 2011 season.
A total of eight men's teams in the country received the Team Ethics Award, which recognizes teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior, and adherence to the laws of the game, as reflected by the number of yellow caution cards or red ejection cards.
Teams with no red cards and a maximum of five yellows were considered for the Silver Award, while teams with no reds and a maximum of 10 yellows were recognized with the Bronze Award.
Anderson was one of three teams to win the Silver Award. The Ravens finished the 2011 season with just four yellow cards, the lowest in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
"I am extremely proud of the guys," said AU coach Scott Fridley. "Winning this award is important to show the character of the team. They do a great job on and off the field. We have done this three years in a row and twice with this year's graduating class. They are great young men and I am honored to coach them."
In addition, the Ravens also collected their 14th NSCAA Men's Team Academic Award in the past 15 seasons.
The Ravens were one of 222 men's teams in all divisions to receive the award, which is given to squads that maintain a 3.0 Team GPA. AU had a team average of 3.06.
"They continue to understand the importance of their classroom work in the big scheme of life," said Fridley. "They work hard and get the importance of an education."
Anderson University is a private Christian university of 2,600 undergraduate and graduate students in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America's top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God, Anderson University offers more than 65 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, education, music, nursing, and theology.