The National Lacrosse League today named Colorado Mammoth forward Gary Gait and Arizona Sting defenseman Peter Lough co-winners of the league's annual Sportsmanship Award.

Gait and Lough received the same number of votes in balloting among the league's governors, general managers and head coaches, resulting in the first tie in the award's three-year history.

Gait captained the Mammoth to a league-best 13-3 record this season and tied Buffalo's John Tavares for the league lead in points, with 93. His 55 goals and five game-winning goals were tops in the NLL this season, and his seventeen power play goals were good for second best.

2003   Chris Driscoll
       Toronto Rock
2002   Jim Veltman
       Toronto Rock

Gait was also one of the league's least-penalized players, committing just four penalties for eight penalty minutes.

Lough -- like Gait in Colorado, the captain of the Sting -- anchored the desert club's defense, helping Arizona to a 7-9 record this season, good for fourth place in the six-team Western Division.

Lough recorded nine goals and six assists this season, scooped up 92 loose balls, and posted a 146-139 record on faceoffs.

He also was whistled for just five penalties, totalling ten minutes.

The Sportsmanship Award was the first of 26 to be handed out over the next week and a half, culminating with the announcement of the 2004 Most Valuable Player on Thursday, 6 May, the day before the NLL Champion's Cup Final between Buffalo and Calgary.

Tomorrow: Defensive Player of the Year.