Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award names 2009-10 basketball candidates

Every year around this time, honors and accolades are handed out for an assortment of achievments. Of all the cool awards out there for collegiate-athletes one of the most prestigious is the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

Yesterday, 30 NCAA women’s basketball student-athletes who excel both on and off the court were tabbed as candidates today for the 2009-10 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – classroom, character, community and competition.

Individuals qualified based on their dedication and achievement in four areas:  Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition.  The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is distinctive from many other honors in that on-the-field performance is only one factor in determining candidacy – a major emphasis is placed on off-the-field commitments and personal character.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the CLASS award was launched in 2001 to honor the attributes of college seniors who fulfill their entire athletic eligibility (meaning they don’t abandon school for pro careers).

This year’s candidate class includes 25 players on the preseason watch lists for the men’s and women’s John R. Wooden Award and 11 women’s players who are preseason favorites for the State Farm Wade Trophy. Eleven women represent teams ranked in the top 25 women’s preseason poll.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award™ winner for men’s basketball at the 2010 NCAA Men’s Final Four® in Indianapolis in April and for women’s basketball at the 2010 NCAA Women’s Final Four® in San Antonio in April.

Women’s Basketball 2009-10 Candidates

Name	Position	School
Jayne Appel	Center	Stanford University
Miranda Ayim	Forward/Center	Pepperdine University
Amy Beggin	Guard	University of New Mexico
Joy Cheek	Forward/Guard	Duke University
Alysha Clark	Forward	Middle Tennessee State University
Allyssa DeHaan	Center	Michigan State University
Claire Faucher	Guard	Portland State University
Kristen Feemster	Forward	Western Carolina University
Jordan Franey	Guard/Forward	University of California, Santa Barbara
Tyra Grant	Guard	Pennsylvania State University
Alexis Gray-Lawson	Guard	University of California
Kelsey Griffin	Forward	University of Nebraska
Lisa Helmers	Guard	Loyola Marymount University
Allison Hightower	Guard	Louisiana State University
Ashley Houts	Guard	University of Georgia
May Kotsopoulos	Guard	University of Vermont
Maggie Krick	Guard	Illinois State University
Kelsey Luna	Guard	Indiana State University
Joy McCorvey	Forward	St. John’s University
Danielle McCray	Guard/Forward	University of Kansas
Jessica Mooney	Guard	Vanderbilt University
Jené Morris	Guard	San Diego State University
Deirdre Naughton	Guard	DePaul University
Lauren Sims	Guard	Long Beach State University
Jenna Smith	Center	University of Illinois
Ashley Sweat	Forward	Kansas State University
Bianca Thomas	Guard	University of Mississippi
Amanda Thompson	Forward	University of Oklahoma
Jenny Van Kirk	Forward	Bradley University
Monica Wright	Guard	University of Virginia

Cast your vote for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Soccer Awards

November 4, 2008 -  There is one more election to add to your ballot and there are only two more weeks to have your voice heard.

The 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in women’s soccer are looking for your vote. Fan voting counts for 1/3 of the total and fans can vote once a day by going to the newly launched Lowe’s Senor CLASS Award website.

 An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence.

The finalists for the women’s soccer award include:

Yael Averbuch
Stefanie Baduria
Lizzie Barnes
Brittany Bock
Jenae Gibbens
Candace Gonzales
Kerri Hanks
Molly Johnson
Christie McDonald
Yolanda Odenyo

Show your support now!

One good reason to stay in school -Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award

September 17, 2008 – There are a lot of cool awards out there for collegiate-athletes but one of the most prestigious is the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

This year, 30 female student-athletes who have displayed both on-field and off-field excellence have been selected as candidates for the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the women’s soccer division. 

Individuals qualified based on their dedication and achievement in four areas:  Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition.  The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is distinctive from many other honors in that on-the-field performance is only one factor in determining candidacy – a major emphasis is placed on off-the-field commitments and personal character.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the CLASS award was launched in 2001 to honor the attributes of college seniors who fulfill their entire athletic eligibility (meaning they don’t abandon school for pro careers).

From the list of 30 candidates (complete list available in pdf form), a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in both divisions in October.  Those 10 names from each division will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning October 9 and concluding November 19.  Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award.  Winners will be announced during the 2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championships in Cary, North Carolina, scheduled for December 5-7.

On the list is Olympic gold medalist Amy Rodriguez, a midfielder for USC – who grew up in SoCal and is a local favorite.  Go A-Rod!