Lehigh University Athletics
Rich named P.L. sportsmanship award winner
6/11/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A pair of recently graduated Mountain Hawks were honored by the Patriot League on Thursday as Melissa Rich (women’s basketball) and Geoff Campbell (baseball) were named the 2008-09 Sportsmanship Award winners. The pair of winners were chosen in a vote by the League’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Rich becomes the first female student-athlete at Lehigh to earn this award, while Campbell is the fourth consecutive male to be honored joining Joe Knight (men’s basketball – 2006), Robbie Walsh (men’s lacrosse – 2007) and Bryan White (men’s basketball – 2008).
Rich was successful in the classroom and on the court at Lehigh, as she graduated with a 3.68 grade point average as a psychology major and earned a spot on the 2009 Patriot League All-Tournament Team in helping lead the Mountain Hawks to their second P.L. championship. Rich constantly showed a tremendous amount of caring and concern for her opponents, sometimes to the point of being too nice. Following a foul, Melissa would be the first one to come over to a competitor and help them to their feet, while also checking to see if they were ok. During her senior season, Melissa saw her minutes reduced from years past, but that did not affect the way she mentored her younger teammates, or offered tips to the rest of the team. Melissa is highly regarded by the Mountain Hawks coaching staff as a great leader, both on and off the floor.
In addition to her academic and athletic success, Rich did not shy away from being highly involved throughout the community. She was a mainstay in Lehigh’s award-winning C.O.A.C.H. program, and also volunteered at the children’s ward at St. Luke’s Hospital, ran a free basketball clinic for children and helped to recruit her teammates to help at the Victory House, a shelter that provides meals to homeless men in Bethlehem.
A co-captain for the Mountain Hawks who graduated with a 3.41 GPA, Campbell epitomizes what it means to play the game of baseball the right way. Geoff never argues with umpires as evidenced by his reaction to a play earlier this season in which he clearly beat a throw to first base, but was called out; Geoff simply ran back to the dugout without making a single complaint. Other coaches within the Patriot League have commented on what a class act Geoff is, and the entire Lehigh coaching staff and team agree that Campbell is the type of person everyone wants to be around due to his high level of character.
Off the diamond, Campbell was a leader as well, as he serves as a Student-Athlete Mentor representative for two years and a leader in Lehigh’s Student-Athlete Council during the past academic year.
The Patriot League Sportsmanship Awards are in their fourth year after being created to honor student-athletes that uphold the principles on which the League was founded - fairness, equality and excellence in academics and athletics. The awards are open to all Patriot League student-athletes, with one male and one female selected. Each of the eight Patriot League institutions is eligible to nominate a male and female for the award.
Rich and Campbell will now be forwarded onto the NCAA to be considered for the national sportsmanship honor.
