MIAA honors Emily Nash at Sportsmanship event

Lunenburg's Emily Nash was honored by the MIAA at its annual Sportsmanship Summit at Gillette Stadium, three weeks after her historic win defeating the boys in the Division 3 Central Massachusetts golf tournament.

MIAA executive director Bill Gaine said in a statement that it was "a privilege" to honor Nash "for her outstanding sportsmanship and precedent-setting achievement."

"It was a privilege today, before almost 1,200 MIAA student-athletes, coaches and administrators, on the occasion of the MIAA's 24th Annual Sportsmanship Summit to present and recognize Emily Nash for her outstanding sportsmanship and precedent-setting achievement at the Boy's Division III Central MA Golf Tournament," Gaine said in the full statement released by the organization.

Nash's victory ignited controversy and drew national headlines last month after she won the sectional title by four strokes, only to be disallowed from competition in the Division 3 boys state tournament because of MIAA rules.

The policy states that girls playing on a fall boys team cannot be entered in the boys fall individual tournament. They can only play in the boys team tournament.

If they qualify, girls like Nash can play in the spring girls sectional and state championships, according to MIAA rules.

The association came under fire after golfers and athletes across the country voiced their support for Nash.

She then accepted an offer from former pro golf great Annika Sorenstam to compete in the ANNIKA Invitational at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., in January.

Nico Ciolino, a junior at the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School, was awarded the trophy at the Division 3 Central Massachusetts tournament, but the Herald reported last month that he actually tried to give it to Nash because he felt the hardware should go to her. Nash politely refused.

This article is written by Dan Ventura from Boston Herald and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.