Given to the athletes who best embody the spirit of this trophy's namesake: Larry Eugene Spaulding, who entered the Academy of the New Church College in September 1965 (in 1997, the College changed its name from the Academy of the New Church College to Bryn Athyn College of the New Church), attending through his freshman year and part of his sophomore year before leaving on February 7, 1967, to enlist in the United States Marines. Larry was remembered by those who served alongside him for his warmth, loyalty, and quiet conviction — a young man whose sincerity and hard work left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. He was killed in action on May 12, 1969, near Da Nang, South Vietnam. In his honor, and with the blessing of his family, the South Ohio Circle of the General Church of the New Jerusalem established this trophy in gratitude for the years the Academy invested in shaping the young man he became.
In 1980, the Most Outstanding Female Athlete Award joined this tradition, extending the same recognition to our women student-athletes.
Together, these two honors celebrate more than athletic skill. They recognize character — the dedication, sportsmanship, and heart that define an athlete long after the final score is settled. The names that flank this trophy belong to a distinguished line of student-athletes who carried that spirit forward.