Truett McConnell placed second in the overall NAIA Champions of Character initiative for the 2015-16 athletic year and was one of only 19 NAIA institutions named a Gold Medallion recipient as announced by the national office Wednesday afternoon.
TMU finished just one point out of first place, landing behind fellow AAC institution Columbia College and Blue Mountain College (Miss.), who both finished with 95 points. Truett McConnell finished in a tie for second at 94 points with Biola University (Calif.), Edward Waters (Fla.) and the University of St. Francis (Ind.). Columbia and TMU were the only AAC schools to finish with Gold Medallion honors.
The AAC was also recognized as a Five-Star conference, joining 17 other conferences in earning the award. In total, there were 171 institutions that earned the Five-Star Institution Award.
This was the third consecutive year that the Bears placed in the top 15, placing third in the 2013-14 athletic year and 14th in 2014-15.
The Champions of Character Scorecard measures growth in training, promotion, conduct in competition and commitment in five key areas. The highest possible score is 100 points, with the breakdown of Five-Star Institution levels breaking down into Gold (90-100 points), Silver (75-89) and Bronze (60-74).
For the full release of honorees from the NAIA, click HERE.
