This past October, the Institute for International Sport (IIS) announced the Empire 8 as an All-American Sportsmanship Conference. On National Sportsmanship Day, March 4th, 2008, Ithaca College and the conference, as well as several other schools will be awarded for this achievement. The IIS created National Sportsmanship Day in 1991 and awards this honor annually to collegiate athletic programs that effectively promote non-violence and sportsmanship. This is the first time that the IIS has awarded an entire conference.