WINTER PARK, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University’s Courtney Berger (Stratford, N.J.) and the crew of NSU’s Freshman Eight have been selected as the winners of the 2011 Sunshine State Conference Female Sportsmanship Award.

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 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.).

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