INDIANAPOLIS – Rockhurst University has claimed its first Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Challenge Trophy, it was announced by the league office Thursday. The GLVC SAAC Challenge Trophy will be formally presented to the Hawks at the Enterprise Rent-a-Car GLVC Spring Awards Reception on Tuesday, May 23 in St. Charles, Mo.
In the 12-year history of the award, Indianapolis has won 10 times, including five years in a row from 2009-14 and four consecutive times between 2016-19. Drury won the trophy for the 2008-09 academic year, while Missouri S&T was the other winner in 2014-15.
Rockhurst secured the win of this year's trophy by earning points that are awarded in each area of the six attributes of Division II: service, learning, passion, sportsmanship, balance, and resourcefulness.
Related to the service area, the Hawks teams participated in multiple canned food drives, collected equipment for local sport foundations, engaged with their Team Impact players, and promoted signing up with Be The Match bone marrow registry.
Moreover, Rockhurst participated in several mental health awareness activities throughout the academic year. Each Hawks’ sports team picked a home game and wore green ribbons, tape, or pre-wrap to show and spread awareness for mental health. Rockhurst teams also sold rubber bracelets that said “mental health matters” to collect donations for Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression.
In order to be eligible for the GLVC SAAC Challenge Trophy, schools must participate in an institutional SAAC-organized community engagement or service project, or a fundraising effort that makes a local and/or national impact. In addition, points are also awarded for each school’s finish in the GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award standings, and based on how many Academic All-Conference representatives and GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees they had in the previous academic season.