Leavenworth, Kan.- The University of Saint Mary was one of 171 institutions to earn the Champions of Character Five-Star Award from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for the 2022-23 school year this week.
USM was one of only 27 institutions of higher education nationwide to earn a perfect score in the NAIA’s Champions of Character program, which emphasizes character development among schools’ student-athletes.
“I am most proud of the character of our athletes and our coaches,” said USM President Sister Diane Steele. “Our Spires did a great job this year living the institution’s mission. They deserve praise for bringing home the gold.”
USM Vice President for Athletics Rob Miller added “Our coaches and athletes work hard to make sure that we can receive this award every year. Commitment to character really elevates the Saint Mary athletic program.”
Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition, and character promotion.
Each year, NAIA schools use the Champions of Character scorecard to measure the pursuit of character-driven athletics. Schools scoring a minimum of 60 out of 100 points earn the Champions of Character Five-Star Institution Award. The University of Saint Mary focuses on character-driven athletics as a key factor in continuing to elevate the NAIA student-athlete experience.
Visit https://www.naia.org/champions-of-character/index for more information on the Champions of Character program.
The University of Saint Mary is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of Saint Mary main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM’s Overland Park Campus at 4500 College Boulevard offers evening accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs. Visit stmary.edu for more information.