AUBURN, Ala. – How do you define sportsmanship? As a student-athlete, it's easy enjoy the good times and be gracious when you win. But what about when you lose? How do you act during the bad times? Those are the moments where you find sportsmanship, the moments where someone's true character is revealed.
"Sportsmanship means showing class and holding your head up high even when things aren't going your way," Auburn women's golfer Brooke Sansom said. "Because people are looking at you, and you have to lead by example to the people you're around."
Sansom, along with football's Marlon Davidson, are this year's recipients of the Sportsmanship Awards at the 2020 AUSPY Awards.
For Sansom, the female winner, it doesn't matter how well or how poorly she performs on the golf course, she is always complimentary of a good shot. And whether she just sank the putt to beat Texas and send Auburn to the NCAA semifinals or missed a putt to lose her match the following day against Wake Forest, she is quick to shake her opponent's hand and wish them well.
Sansom, who also gives out gifts to teammates and coaches before every tournament and on every holiday, embodies what it means to be part of the Auburn Family.
"Honestly, it's a dream come true," the sophomore said. "I was dreaming about it ever since I was five years old when I went to my first Auburn football game. Being able to represent it in the way that I do is truly an honor."
Like Sansom, Davidson has always been a good sport after games, regardless of the outcome. He'll reach out to opposing players and typically takes part in the post-game prayer at midfield. He also takes pride in playing by the rules and not playing dirty, something that was put in question this past season.
The All-SEC defensive lineman was trying to make a play in a game at Florida last fall when he inadvertently injured Gators' quarterback Kyle Trask. He was devastated.
"I went to the sideline, and my coach had to pull me to the side and say, 'Man, you just got to continue to play football,' because my mind was all on [Trask]," Davidson said after the game. "Like, 'I hope he gets up, I hope he feels better, I hope it's nothing serious.' Because, at the end of the day, it's football. You want to see everybody be great. You never wish nothing bad on anybody."
Trask returned later in the game, and afterwards, even after Auburn suffered its first defeat of the season in a hard-fought battle, Davidson sought out the Florida quarterback to apologize.
Here's a look at the other nominees for this year's Sportsmanship Awards.
Female
Carolyn Ansari, Tennis
Gracie Day, Gymnastics
Emily Hetzer, Swimming and Diving
Bella Rosenthal, Volleyball
Ashlee Swindle, Softball
Male
Richard Fitts, Baseball
Christian Ginieczki, Swimming and Diving
Spencer Gray, Tennis
Graysen Huff, Golf
Austin Wiley, Basketball