Student Athlete Recognition

Honor and Athletics

The Honor Committee has two liaisons and a Task Force of Support Officers who work with the Athletic Academic staff to foster a positive and mutually beneficial relationship between Honor and Athletics. The most basic manifestation of this relationship is the team presentations, which are given to each team every year. Honor representatives work with Student-Athletes, Academic Coordinators, Coaches, and Tutors to ensure total overall understanding of the System and to facilitate open and constant channels of communication. All members of the Athletics community are encouraged to engage with these designated contacts as often as they would like, with anything from questions to suggestions.

The SACH (Student-Athletes Committed to Honor) Program:

SACH was formed in December 2012 by an Honor Educator, who was also a Student-Athlete, as a way to increase the dialogue and connection between the two communities. Each December, Student-Athletes are asked to apply to represent their teams and to engage in monthly discussions about Honor and the Athletics community. One Representative is then selected from each team and serves as their team’s Representative for a full calendar year (January-December). Rather than seeking to educate the Reps, SACH aims to create an open and honest forum for discussion of Honor as a whole and as it specifically relates to the student-athlete population. The ideas and feedback of SACH Reps are taken seriously by the Honor Committee and put into practice as often as is possible. The Honor Committee looks forward to continuing this program and its impact, both on the Athletic community as a whole and the leadership skills of the individual Representatives as they strive for “uncompromised excellence” in all realms.

2014 SACH Roster:

Name	Team	Year	Quotation
Kevin Doherty	Baseball	Seond	“When every individual on the team upholds the Honor System, it allows us to trust each other fully. A trust that ultimately relates to the field and strengthens our team bond.”
Zach Watson	Wrestling	Second	“Instilling values such as honor, responsibility, accountability, and trust into our students here at the University of Virginia will help them become better citizens in every aspect of their lives, whether it be at work, at home, or walking on the streets.”
Caid Kirven	Men’s Basketball	Second
Sydney Umeri	Women’s Basketball	First	“I think people should be thinking of Honor or reminded of Honor more often than they are now.”
Jack St. Marie	Men’s Cross Country / Track	Third	“It is so important for athletes and students to engage with the Honor System rather than see it as just a set of rules by which to abide.”
Alexa Cowne	Women’s Cross Country / Track	First	“I understand that Honor is an integral part of this university and…it is my responsibility to help others follow the Honor system.”
Andrew Mackay	Football	First	“One thing that I would like to do is to further increase the education of the Honor system towards student-athletes that are not always fully aware of the rules already.”
Jimmy Stanger	Men’s Golf	First
Alexandra Hershberger	Women’s Golf	Second	“The honor code and system that exists at the University of Virginia is unparalleled. I want to be a part of its continued existence not only because it sets our school apart from other institutions, but also because I fully support the level of integrity and responsibility that it seeks to uphold.”
Nate Menninger	Men’s Lacrosse	Second	“[By joining SACH] I can help athletes understand the honor code and learn that while cheating to get a B instead of a C might seem necessary, the consequences of such activity are more detrimental.”
Courtney Swan	Women’s Lacrosse	Second	“Being a member of the University’s community of trust is something I take seriously and value highly.”
Patrick Foss	Men’s Soccer	Second
Jessi Ferrari	Women’s Soccer	Second	“I think that having integrity with one’s actions on and off the field sets a prime example for students not only in athletics but throughout the university.”
Mitchell Polnet	Men’s Tennis	Second	“I believe it is up to fellow student athletes, like myself, to educate one another to embrace the Honor Code as a way of life that would ultimately lead to a stronger community.”
Charlie Putnam	Men’s Swimming and Diving	Third
Katie Warburg	Women’s Swimming and Diving	Second	“I [became] involved to further my own understanding of the Honor system as well as my teammates’ understandings.”
Lexi Riccolo	Volleyball	First
Georgia Ratcliff	Rowing	First	“One of my favorite aspects of UVA is the trust between the faculty and students, and I would like to help protect this trust as well as help it grow.”
Macy Peebles	Field Hockey	First	“I think [Honor] is an effective system that leaves trust in the students to do the right thing and make their word mean something.”
Heidi Velk	Softball	Third