In July 2007, the Nashville Sports Council and the Ohio Valley Conference announced the creation of the Sergeant York Trophy which goes to the winner of the quadrangular season football series between the four Ohio Valley Conference schools located in the state of Tennessee – Austin Peay State University, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University and the University of Tennessee at Martin.
The Sgt. York Trophy is presented by Tennessee Governor's Highway Safety Office.
The award is only the second traveling trophy that involves more than two teams in college sports; the other is the Commander in Chief’s Trophy which has been contested between Air Force, Army and Navy annually since 1972.
The award is named in honor of Alvin C. York, the most noted Soldier of World War I. As a corporal in the 2nd battalion, 328th Infantry, in the Battle of the Meuse River-Argonne (Oct. 8, 1918), York and seven other soldiers captured 132 prisoners, was promoted to sergeant and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, the French Legion of Honor, the Croce di Guerra of Italy and the War Medal of Montenegro. Upon his return to the United States in 1919, he was bestowed the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Following the war York returned his home in Pall Mall, Tenn. (located in north central Tennessee, 55 miles northeast of Cookeville) where he dedicated his life to improving education and facilitating educational opportunities for children in the state of Tennessee. In 1927 he established the Alvin C. York Institute after spending several years raising money for the school which opened as a private institution. That school was established, in part, to provide educational opportunities denied to the boys and girls of Fentress Country. In 1937, the Institute became a state special school after an appeal to the Tennessee State Legislature. The school, located in Jamestown, Tenn., is still in operation today.
York died on Sept. 2, 1964 and the foundation which he helped establish in 1920 – The Sergeant York Patriotic Foundation – was dormant for many years. The Foundation was re-established by Lipscomb Davis, Jr. in 1992 and is currently run by Sgt. York’s grandson Gerald (U.S. Army Colonel, Retired). York’s papers are archived by Michael E. Birdwell, Ph.D., who is an associate professor of history at Tennessee Technological University, one of the four institutions that will compete for the yearly honor.
After the completion of the football season, the Sergeant York Trophy will be awarded to the institution with the best head-to-head record in the match-ups with their fellow Tennessee schools. In the event of a tie, the award will be shared; however, the previous winner will retain the trophy if they are part of the tie. If the tie is between two other institutions, the trophy will go to the institution that has gone the most seasons without winning the trophy.
The award is presented to the winning institution annually at the Celebration of Champions, which is hosted each spring by the Nashville Sports Council. The event was created in 1999 and salutes amateur and professional sports in Tennessee.
The Nashville Sports Council is a private, not-for-profit, membership-based organization of area corporations and individual sports enthusiasts. Created in 1992, the Nashville Sports Council’s mission is to positively impact the economy and quality of life of the Greater Nashville Area by attracting and promoting professional and amateur sporting events. The Nashville Sports Council has hosted more than 100 events that have produced more than $250 million in economic impact and is The Driving Force of Sports in Nashville.
The Ohio Valley Conference is the eighth-oldest Division I conference. The Conference includes 11 schools across five states. The current membership includes Austin Peay State University, Eastern Illinois University, Eastern Kentucky University, Jacksonville State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University and the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Related Links
Sergeant York Foundation - http://www.alvincyork.org/
Sergeant York Project - http://www.sergeantyorkproject.com
Nashville Sports Council - http://www.nashvillesports.com
Ohio Valley Conference - http://www.ovcsports.com
Austin Peay Athletics - http://www.letsgoeay.com
Tennessee State Athletics - http://www.tsutigers.com
Tennessee Tech Athletics - http://www.ttusports.com
UT Martin Athletics - http://www.utmsports.com
All-Time Sgt. York Trophy Game Stats
Stats Link
All-Time Sgt. York Trophy Winners
2007 - Tennessee State*, Austin Peay
2008 - Tennessee State
2009 - Tennessee Tech
2010 - UT Martin
2011 - Tennessee State*, Tennessee Tech
*Took home the trophy due to winning the tiebreaker
Photo Gallery of Award Winners
All-Time Sgt. York Trophy Game Results
2007
Sept. 15 Tennessee State 33, @Austin Peay 32 (OT)
Sept. 22 @ Austin Peay 17, UT Martin 14
Sept. 27 Tennessee Tech 13, @UT Martin 10
Oct. 6 Austin Peay 30, @Tennessee Tech 27
Oct. 11 Tennessee State 45, @Tennessee Tech 28
Nov. 17 UT Martin 43, @Tennessee State 38
2008
Sept. 20 UT Martin 31, @Austin Peay 17
Oct. 4 Tennessee State 30, @UT Martin 27 (OT)
Oct. 16 UT Martin 35, @Tennessee Tech 7
Oct. 18 @Tennessee State 37, Austin Peay 34
Oct. 25 @Austin Peay 31, Tennessee Tech 28
Nov. 1 @Tennessee State 41, Tennessee Tech 14
2009
Oct. 3 @Tennessee Tech 31, Austin Peay 23
Oct. 10 Tennessee Tech 35, @UT Martin 28
Oct. 31 @Tennessee Tech 20, Tennessee State 13
Nov. 7 UT Martin 28, @Tennessee State 7
Nov. 14 @Austin Peay 24, Tennessee State 21
Nov. 21 @UT Martin 48, Austin Peay 38
2010
Sept. 18 Austin Peay 26, @Tennessee State 23
Sept. 30 UT Martin 27, @Tennessee Tech 24
Oct. 9 Tennessee Tech 34, @Austin Peay 21
Oct. 23 Tennessee Tech 21, @Tennessee State 10
Nov. 6 UT Martin 28, @Austin Peay 12
Nov. 13 @UT Martin 37, Tennessee State 0
2011
Oct. 1 @Austin Peay 37, Tennessee State 34
Oct. 1 Tennessee Tech 34, @UT Martin 31
Oct. 8 @UT Martin 61, Austin Peay 23
Oct. 15 Tennessee State 42, @Tennessee Tech 40
Nov. 12 @Tennessee State 35, UT Martin 30
Nov. 19 @Tennessee Tech 49, Austin Peay 7