The Department of Athletics and the University endorse an athletics award system to recognize the achievement earned by each varsity student-athlete.
Section 2. Letter Award Criteria
The head coach must submit criteria for earning a varsity letter
to the administrator who supervises the sport for approval. A
copy of the criteria is kept on file in the Director of Athletics'
office. Letter award lists must be processed within two weeks
of the completion of the season. The following special circumstances
apply to each sport:
Section 3. Letter Award System
All freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior student-athletes who are lettering for the first time will receive a jacket. All sophomores, juniors, and seniors who would be eligible for a second, third, or fourth letter will be identified as lettering athletes.
All graduating senior student-athletes, regardless of their letter year, will receive a Captains Clock at the Senior Awards Banquet.
Section 4. Senior Awards
Section 5. Most Valuable Player Award
Each head coach may identify one (1) outstanding individual to receive the Most Valuable Player Award. If the coach determines no one individual is worthy, a MVP would not be named for that year. Each sport is responsible for ordering their own MVP awards.
Section 6. Championship Awards
In recognition of winning a conference championship and/or participating in an NCAA championship, the Department of Athletics will provide student-athletes a commemorative ring or other designated award recognition of their achievements.
Coaches and student-athletes will be afforded the opportunity to participate in the design of their award.
Recipients
(a.) Ring recipients will include squad members, coaches, and appropriate staff members associated with the team. Upon completion of the NCAA championship competition, the head coaches will prepare a proposed list for his or her sport administrator.
(b.) Rings may be provided for designated donors, staff, president's office representative, and other constituents. Any proposed special recipient will be approved by the Director of Athletics.
(c.) The Associate Director of Athletics for Public Relations will coordinate, with the assistance of the sport administrator, the award process.
Distribution
When possible the rings (awards) will be presented in public forums such as football and basketball halftimes, team banquets, etc.
Section 7. Special Awards
Nominations for this award shall be made by the head coach
of the respective sports by April 1 of each year and are submitted
to the Senior Associate Director of Athletics. This award is
only for an undergraduate senior graduating in the spring ceremonies.
It can be given to either a male or female student-athlete. It
is to be awarded annually at the spring graduation exercises.
The recipient of this senior award shall exemplify the following
criteria:
The Director of Athletics will appoint a committee to choose
the recipient of this award. The Director of Athletics will serve
as chairman of the committee. One member of the committee will
be someone by Dr. Richard Humbert. It is the wishes of the family
that this award be endowed in perpetuity.
Awards are based on the following criteria:
This will be given to the senior student-athlete, one male
and one female with the highest GPA (at the end of the fall semester).
To be eligible to compete for this award the student-athlete
nominated must have been on an intercollegiate athletics sport's
team a minimum of three years and lettered in the sport for two
years. The Director of Academic Advising will provide the Senior
Associate Director of Athletics these names. The Senior Associate
Director of Athletics will provide these names to the President's
Office and have the coaches concerned provide the President's
Office with suitable information about the student-athletes'
academic, athletics and overall background and leadership.
The memory of Donnie Earl Lindsey, Jr. is honored with The
Donnie Earl Lindsey, Jr. First Year Spirit Award. This award
may be given to a freshman or red-shirt freshman Student-Athlete
at the University of Richmond. It is awarded annually in late
April. The recipient of this award will exemplify the following
criteria:
(1). Athletics: participate and/or practice in a varsity intercollegiate athletics sport sponsored by the University of Richmond.
(2). Leadership and Inspirational Qualities: possess the ability to lead and be a positive force and influence among her/his peers and teammates.
(3). Scholarship: must be in good academic standing.
(4). Talent: possess outstanding athletic talent.
Donnie was a man of integrity and the epitome of a Freshman Student-Athlete. Donnie had tremendous attributes that set him apart from others. He was committed, courageous, disciplined, determined, enthusiastic, friendly, grateful, honest, motivated, optimistic, persistent, polite, positive, respected, respectful, responsible, strong, talented, and trusting. The recipient of this award must fit the outstanding example set by Donnie Earl Lindsey, Jr. – the model of an ideal freshman Student-Athlete.
Nominations for this award will be made by the head coaches
of the respective sports by April 1 of each year. The Director
of Athletics will annually appoint a committee to choose the
recipient of this award. The Director of Athletics will serve
as the chair of the committee. The presentation of the award
will be made each fall at the Richmond College Investiture Ceremony.
END NOTE
Donnie Earl Lindsey, Jr. was a nineteen year old freshman
football Student-Athlete who drowned in Westhampton Lake on Sunday,
September 27, 1999. Donnie came for preseason football practice
and had only been on campus a total of seven weeks at the time
of his accident but he made a tremendous impact on the University
Community during this short time. Head Football Coach Jim Reid
best summed up this impact, "God made Donnie Lindsey special.
He put a birthmark right on his eye. I believe that was put there
for a reason – so that people would notice him. They would
notice him before they would notice other people. Because when
you noticed Donnie, and you got to know him and watched him,
you just fell in love with him. He was just a wonderful young
man, about to become a man. On the football field, he was a warrior.
He was just . . .perfect." Donnie was from Annandale, Virginia
where he attended Lake Braddock Secondary School.
Nominations are to be submitted by head coaches to the Director of Athletic Marketing and Alumni Programs no later than March 31. Supporting statements detailing the strength of each candidate based on the criteria should accompany each nomination. The Spider Club Board of Directors Selection Committee will base its decision on the information provided by the head coach and by objective sport statistics.