Each year, awards are presented to teams and individuals in recognition of their embodiment and advancement of Spirit of the Game. Team and individual spirit awards, along with the Donovan Award, are presented at the Division III College Championships. The inaugural Donovan Award winners were announced in Lexington, Ky., in 2017.

Donovan Award

Introduced in 2017, the Donovan Award is presented to a female and male player from Division III who are selected by their peers in the division. The ideal candidate for the award meets the following criteria:

1. Demonstrates an exceptional level of skill and athleticism on the field.
2. Upholds the principles of Spirit of the Game, equity, and fairness in their own actions, as well as holding teammates accountable to do the same.
3. Is a leader off the field, both on their team and in the greater ultimate community.

Team Spirit Award

At the end of each game at the College Championships, teams are asked to rate their opponents’ spirit, as well as their own, in a number of categories, including communication, rules knowledge and fair-mindedness. The scores are averaged, and the team with the highest score is awarded the Team Spirit Award.