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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cal Maritime Athletics earned one of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' (NAIA) most prestigious institution awards when the organization announced its Five-Star Champions of Character recipients. In addition to being recognized as a Champion of Character recipient, Cal Maritime Athletics also earned Gold Status, the highest level of distinction, thanks to another perfect score.

Of the 250 NAIA institutions across the nation, Cal Maritime was one of 27 to post the highest possible Champions of Character result. 

"Our cadet-athletes are leading by example and proving once again just how integral respect, sportsmanship, responsibility, integrity, and servant leadership is to the Cal Maritime experience," said Interim President Michael J. Dumont. "As we look forward to the start of the 2023-2024 academic year, I want to give a very warm congratulations to these amazing cadet-athletes, as well as our coaches and staff in Athletics for earning this distinguished recognition."

The 2022-23 honor marked the third occasions, in as many years, that Cal Maritime earned Champions of Character accolades by earning every possible point on the program's annual scorecard. With this accomplishment, Cal Maritime is one of only six NAIA schools to record a perfect score in each of the last three straight academic years.

Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion. Additional points are earned due to exceptional student-athlete grade point averages and/or minimal-to-no ejections during competition throughout an academic year.

Thanks to Cal Maritime's year-long efforts, the California Pacific Conference also earned Champions of Character Five-Star Conference distinction.

The Champions of Character program is designed to instill an understanding of character values in sport and provides practical tools for student-athletes, coaches and parents to use in modeling exemplary character traits. Launched by the NAIA in 2000, the Champions of Character program addresses character issues more comprehensively than any other national program.

The NAIA Champions of Character program is an educational outreach initiative that emphasizes the tenets of character and integrity, not only for NAIA college students, but for younger students, coaches and parents in our communities.

Coaches, parents, administrators and community partners all have a role in developing students of character. The NAIA Champions of Character program brings them training, guidelines and behavior models to create positive environments that promote growth and fun sport activity.