Sportsmanship award to former Flagler baseball player

By Latesha Johnson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The Flagler Men’s Basketball team won its fourth consecutive season opener on November 14 against Trinity College with an easy 87-41 non-conference victory in the Flagler Gymnasium.

Flagler shot 48.5% (16-33) from behind the 3-point line, with Matt Clark hitting five and Matt Conway sinking four 3-pointers. Clark went 8-11 from the field, accounting for a team-high 21 points. Jordan Warner included a double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds, while Richard Brown handed out a game-high seven assists. Freshman center, Quayshad Williams, had a nine point, 10 rebound showing for the Saints in his first collegiate appearance.

At halftime of the game, former Flagler College Baseball standout, John Sgromolo was awarded the 2012 NCAA Division II Sportsmanship Award. Sgromolo is the only male in all of NCAA Division II to ever win this award, as he was nominated by Flagler’s Assistant Athletic Director, Ryan Erlacher.

Sgromolo was unaware that he was nominated for the award until Head Baseball Coach Dave Barnett told him the news.

“I was very surprised,” said Sgromolo. “I also felt very honored and humble to be representing Flagler College and the first thing I thought was how great it was for Flagler College to be recognized at the national level,” Sgromolo added.

Associate Athletic Director at Saint Leo University, John Semeraro, who is a member of the NCAA Committee on Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct, presented Sgromolo with the award alongside Flagler’s Director of Athletics, Jud Damon, and Coach Barnett.

While at Flagler, Sgromolo also earned awards such as the Flagler College Athletic Department Award, Rawlings All Southeast Region Gold Glove, Flagler College Athlete of the Month, Peach Belt Conference All Conference, Flagler Baseball Coaches Award, Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week, Team MVP, Peach Belt Conference Academic All Conference Team, and the Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll.

Sgromolo was also named to “Who’s Who List in American Colleges and Universities” and Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the First Year Player Draft in 2012.

He is now the Athletics Operations Coordinator at Flagler.

“My job consists of Marketing, Promotions, Game Day Operations, Public Address Announcing, Mascot Operations, and pretty much anything else that the athletic department needs,” said Sgromolo.

The Saints Men’s Basketball team has carried over the momentum from their first game and compiled an undefeated 3-0 start to their season. They will take on Young Harris on Dec. 15 and North Georgia on Dec. 17 in their first two Peach Belt Conference competitions.