St. John Fisher athletics photo

St. John Fisher received one of the highest civilian distinctions as the United States Marine Corps presented coach Paul Vosburgh and members of the team with the Semper Fidelis Award.

The Cardinals earned the honor based on their commitment to excellence and patriotism after coming together to lead the crowd in the singing of the national anthem after being informed that the Star Spangled Banner would not be played prior to the start of the 2016 ECAC Asa S. Bush Bowl Game in Philadelphia. This act brought positive attention to the team and school on a national level as it was reported by several media outlets. 

Semper Fidelis, which means "always faithful" in Latin, has been the Marines' motto since 1883. The award was established to highlight the actions of civilians, which demonstrate the core beliefs of the Marines, including patriotism and dedication to one's country.   
     
Fisher, which was ranked 25th nationally in the final D3football.com poll, finished the 2016 campaign at 8-3. The Cardinals qualified for the postseason for the 14th consecutive season and had nine named all-conference by the Empire 8.