WBB: Beavers Earn Pac-12 Sportsmanship Award

CORVALLIS – The Oregon State women’s basketball team received a prestigious honor on Thursday, as the team was named as the Pac-12 Sportsmanship Award winner for the 2019-20 season.

The Beavers earned the award for reaching out to the Oregon women’s basketball team prior to the teams’ Civil War matchup at Gill Coliseum on Jan. 26, when the two squads learned of the passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and eight others, including Bryant’s daughter Gianna.

Over an hour prior to game time, as both teams were warming up, the news of Bryant’s death began to circulate within the two teams. Oregon State’s Madison Washington and Aleah Goodman stopped their pregame routines and walked across the half-court to talk to the Oregon players. Moments later, the two squads were locked arms in a circle at center court for a few emotional moments of reflection and prayer.

As the huddle broke and the two teams returned to their pre-game warm-ups, Oregon State’s student section, the only fans allowed into the arena to that point, applauded respectfully.

The Pac-12 Sportsmanship Award is selected by members of the Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and is based on good sportsmanship and ethical behavior in participation of intercollegiate athletics, as well as a demonstration of good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Nominees must have demonstrated the values of respect and integrity through a specific action, ideally directed toward an opponent.

The OSU women’s basketball team is Oregon State’s second award winner since the honor began in 2004, joining baseball’s Mitch Canham who won the award as a player in 2007. Canham, now the Beavers’ first-year head coach, received the award for his handling of extensive off-the-field adversity in his life, and for his dedication to community service.

Among the three nominees for the award was the Oregon State pep band, after it learned the Utah fight song in one day and played it numerous times during the OSU/Utah first-round game at the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas in March. The Utah band did not travel to Las Vegas due to the emerging COVID-19. OSU’s efforts were applauded by Utah fans everywhere and by the entire Pac-12 band and spirit community.

Oregon State women’s basketball finished the 2019-20 season with a record of 23-9 and was projected as a likely host for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

One of the most successful programs in the last decade of the sport, the Beavers have made the last four Sweet 16’s, including a Final Four appearance in 2016. Oregon State’s 165 wins since the start of the 2014-15 season are among the top-nine victory totals in the nation over that span.