KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The United Soccer Coaches recently announced the 2022 College Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award recipients. The Salem soccer team was recognized as Bronze level award winner of the College Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award by the organization.

In all, 117 men's and women's teams received either the Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze version of the College Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award, which recognizes teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior and adherence to the laws of the game, as reflected by the number of yellow caution cards or red ejection cards they are shown by referees throughout the season based on the number of cards accumulated divided by the number of games played (i.e., 5 cards divided by 20 games played is 0.25 or 25%, which qualifies for a Silver Award).

Eleven teams were recipients of the Gold Award, which is given to teams with a percentage of cards ranging from 1-10%.

A total of 50 teams claimed the Silver Award, which is given to teams that accumulate a percentage of cards ranging from 11-30%, while the Bronze Award went to 55 teams, which is presented to teams that accumulate a percentage of cards ranging from 31-50%.

One intercollegiate team received the United Soccer Coaches Platinum Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award for completing the entire 2022 season without receiving either a yellow or red card.

The criteria for the award is as follows:

Platinum: No cards accumulated during the season
Gold: Percentage of cards accumulated during the season ranging from 1-10%
Silver: Percentage of cards accumulated during the season ranging from 11-30%
Bronze: Percentage of cards accumulated during the season ranging from 31-50%