SARANAC LAKE — The North Country Community College women’s soccer team was one of 10 college and university soccer programs across the country to be selected for the 2017 Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Platinum Award.

The United Soccer Coaches Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award recognizes teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior and adherence to the laws of the game. Teams honored at the platinum level, like North Country Community College, went an entire season without a player or coach receiving a yellow card or red card.

Saints head coach Kent Egglefield said the Platinum Award is a testament to his team’s discipline, fair play and respect for the game over the course of the season. In particular, he singled out his captains: Chloe Nott, Julia Anderson and Danielle Charland.

“They are three of the most talented players I’ve ever had, but they played the right way,” Egglefield said. “If something happened on the field, they never argued and questioned it, they just went about their business. They represented us very well, and I really think the whole team deserved recognition for the way we played the game and handled ourselves. It was nice to hear the officials, after some of our games, say ‘Hey, I like your team. You play the right way.'”

In 19 years of coaching soccer, Egglefield said he’s never had a season where one of his teams didn’t have a single yellow card or any cautions or objections.

“This is also the first year in 19 years of coaching soccer that I didn’t get a yellow card,” Egglefield noted with a laugh. “To know that we were the only team in the region up for the Platinum Award was great, but then to find out we were only one of 10 teams in the country to take home his award makes it really special.” 

The Saints women’s soccer team finished with a 10-8-1 overall record last year.

Platinum Award winners will be recognized during the annual United Soccer Coaches Convention in Philadelphia on Thursday, Jan. 18.