FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History" continues with the 40th moment on the list: coxswain Courtney Berger and the Freshman-8 boat win the Sunshine State Conference and National Sportsmanship Awards.
August 9, 2011
The Sharks' eight boat as a whole earned the annual SSC honor for their heroic effort at the April 2011 SIRA regatta, while coxswain Berger earned the 2011 NCAA Female Student-Athlete Sportsmanship Award.
Competing in the south region's championship event, the crew noticed that a 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.
"I am exceedingly proud of each and every girl in that boat," said former head coach John Gartin after the race. "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."
Joining Berger in the boat that day were Victoria Ciccone, Emily Harrington, Deonnah Findley, Jennifer McDaniel, Nicole Mesa, Heather Reese, Caitlin Mooney and Dayna Triana.
The Sportsmanship Award was given by the Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct (CSEC) to honor student-athletes who demonstrate acts of sportsmanship that have a positive impact on teammates, opponents and fans.
Following Berger's recognition nationally by the NCAA, she was featured in the Sept. 12, 2011 addition of Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd.
"Sportsmanship is certainly one of our pillars of success within the department of athletics," Director of Athletics Michael Mominey said. "More importantly however, is that civility and societal responsibility is one of the core values of our university. With Courtney receiving the national sportsmanship award, it further confirms that we have student-athletes who are not only committed to athletic excellence but overall excellence."
Check back with NSUSharks.com next Tuesday for the next #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History."Moment No. 1: NSU Athletics is Born
Moment No. 2: Knights Chosen as School Mascot
Moment No. 3: Hansley Hired as Director of Athletics
Moment No. 4: Nova Adds Four Sports
Moment No. 5: Nova Joins NAIA
Moment No. 6: Nova Adds Three More Teams
Moment No. 7: Nova Helps Form FIAC
Moment No. 8: Nova Wins First Conference Championship
Moment No. 9: Baseball and Volleyball Win First Conference Titles
Moment No. 10: NSU Adds Softball
Moment No. 11: NSU Adds Women's Soccer and Wins FSC Tournament Championship
Moment No. 12: NSU Names Ray Ferrero Jr. as School's Fifth President
Moment No. 13: NSU Adds Women's Basketball and Wins Conference Title in First Season
Moment No. 14: NSU Jumps to NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference
Moment No. 15: Kyle Ruwe Becomes NSU's First NCAA All-American
Moment No. 16: NSU adds Rowing, Tennis and Men's Cross Country
Moment No. 17: NSU Breaks Ground on University Center
Moment No. 18: Rembe Becomes NSU's First Female NCAA All-American
Moment No. 19: NSU Men's Golf Wins First SSC Championship
Moment No. 20: NSU Unveils Sharks as New Mascot
Moment No. 21: NSU Enshrines Inaugural Hall of Fame Class
Moment No. 22: Women's Golfer Garcia Austt Becomes NSU's First-Ever NCAA Player and Freshman of Year
Moment No. 23: NSU Tennis Goes Program-Best 22-3
Moment No. 24: NSU Volleyball Hosts the Inaugural Sharks Classic
Moment No. 25: NSU Begins Outdoor Track and Field Programs
Moment No. 26: NSU Volleyball Earns First-Ever NCAA Postseason BidMoment No. 28: NSU Wins Women's Division of 2007-08 SSC Mayors' Cup
Moment No. 29: Abdalla Earns Cross Country Program's First SSC Runner of the Year Award
Moment No. 30: NSU Volleyball Wins South Region and Advances to Elite Eight
Moment No. 31: NSU Launches Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Programs
Moment No. 32: NSU Rowing V4 Claims the School's First Individual DII National Championship
Moment No. 33: NSU Brings Home First NCAA National Championship in Women's Golf
Moment No. 34: NSU Baseball Has Four Players Chosen in MLB Draft
Moment No. 35: Mominey Steps Into Full-Time Role as NSU Director of Athletics
Moment No. 36: The NSU Women's Golf Team Goes Back-to-Back
Moment No. 37: Men's Cross Country Qualifies for NCAA Division II National Championship for First TimeMoment No. 38: The Fledgling Men's and Women's Swimming Teams Have Successful First SeasonMoment No. 39: Women's Golf Wins Third Straight NCAA National Championship
