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Red Bank, NJ -- Sacred Heart will have its name engraved on the plaque for the fifth time in the last six years.

After St. Francis Brooklyn stunted SHU’s “Drive for Five” last spring, the Pioneers have reclaimed the NEC Building Communities Award (BCA) presented by Bayer.

“Congratulations to Sacred Heart for winning a competitive race for the NEC Building Communities Award, which recognizes the student-athlete population that has the highest percentage of participation in community services activities as well total hours donated,” explained NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris, who supported the establishment of the BCA award at the start of the 2010-11 academic year.

“Sacred Heart’s consistent commitment to service has resulted in a remarkable run of winning this competition five of the past six years,” said Morris, who will present the award during Thursday's annual NEC Spring Meetings Awards Dinner.

As a whole, NEC student-athletes from 10 member institutions accounted for 27,928 hours of service during the 2015-16 academic calendar. That total rose 12 percent from the 24,922 hours recorded during the 2014-15 competition.

“Student-athletes across all of our campuses did an admirable job connecting with their communities and helping others in some form or another,” said Morris. “They are living proof that being a NEC student-athlete is about more than sports.”

En-route to this year’s crown, Sacred Heart accounted for a conference-high 7,771 hours of community service.

That result made for a proud University President.

“I am very proud of our student-athletes and the leadership role they often take when it comes to community service on this campus. To contribute 9,000 hours of service is an incredible accomplishment,” said SHU President John J. Petillo. “Whether they are putting on high heels for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, reading to or mentoring area school children, collecting food for the hungry or raising scholarship money through the CT Bike Challenge, they are as dedicated to the community as they are on the courts and fields.”

Saint Francis U edged out Wagner in a close race for second place. The Red Flash (4,722) and the Seahawks (4,591) combined for 33 percent of the total numbers of service hours logged within the conference.

St. Francis Brooklyn, which won the BCA award last spring, finished fourth in the overall rankings.

Bobby Valentine, Sacred Heart’s Executive Director of Athletics, explained the satisfaction derived from the Pioneers’ community endeavors.

“Among the many accomplishments of our student-athletes, winning the NEC Building Communities Award is by far the most satisfying,” said Valentine. “Giving of oneself for the betterment of others is a noble act. It is heartwarming to see our student-athletes take such an interest in these causes and watch them grow as a result.”

In addition to winning a Northeast Conference title on the lanes, Becky Kregling’s bowling team contributed to Sacred Heart’s win in the race for the BCA. Kregling, who secured NEC Coach of the Year honor back in March, was especially proud of the department-wide accomplishment.

“Winning this award makes me especially proud to be a Pioneer today,” said Kregling. “I tell my student-athletes that this is the time of their life that they have time to give to others and by giving their time to others, they will help others and grow from it.”

The Building Communities Award presented by Bayer was conceived by the NEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as a means of recognizing the institution which demonstrates the highest dedication to making an impact in the community. As part of its corporate partnership with the NEC, Bayer, one of the world's foremost life sciences companies specializing in human, animal and plant health, is recognized as the presenting sponsor of this prestigious honor. Bayer's support of this program includes a donation to the charity of the winning institution's choice.

About Bayer
Bayer Corporation is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials.  As an inventor company, Bayer sets trends in research-intensive areas.  Bayer products and services are designed to benefit people and improve the quality of life.  At the same time, Bayer aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power.  Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and acts as a socially and ethically responsible corporate citizen.  In fiscal 2014, Bayer employed 118,888 people at year-end and had sales of €42.2 billion.  In North America, Bayer had 2014 net sales of €10,248 million ($13,630 million) and employed 16,317 at year-end.  For more information, go to www.bayer.us.

About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 35th year, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#23), Baltimore (#27), and Hartford/New Haven (#30).  Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 22 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 14 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary’s, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Google+, all @NECsports.