Brian Holt of Crieighton wins the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for NCAA® men’s soccer

December 10, 2011

Share

HOOVER, AL – Creighton goalkeeper Brian Holt, who helped lead the Bluejays to a No. 2 national ranking and the NCAA Men’s College Cup®, has been selected as the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner in NCAA® Division I men’s soccer. The announcement and trophy presentation were made today by Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, during the Men’s College Cup® in Hoover, Ala.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I men’s soccer coaches, national soccer media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I men’s soccer. 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 – community, classroom, character and competition.

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 students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

“I am extremely honored to be chosen as the recipient of this fine award. My parents and other family members, instructors, advisors, friends and the Creighton community have influenced me as a person and guided me as I worked to reach my academic goals as a student and in becoming a caring and active member of my community,” Holt said. “My accomplishments in soccer could not have been achieved without the skill, dedication and determination of my teammates, coaches and trainers at Creighton. It is important to value personal character, academic success and community involvement of athletes as well as their athletic accomplishments, and the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award does just that. There are many seniors who also are well deserving of this award as men of character, who work hard in the classroom, care about and are involved in their community, and have impacted their college soccer program with their talent and competitive spirit.  I congratulate all of them for their accomplishments.”

The Omaha native has a cumulative grade point average of 3.73 in finance and entrepreneurship. He is a member of the MVC Scholar-Athlete first team and a Dean’s List honoree. He was recently named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for men’s soccer. He is active in several different volunteer activities. He has volunteered at a camp for children with cancer, helped with collections for relief efforts in Haiti and assisted the homeless at Helping the Homeless and the Siena Francis House homeless shelter.

“The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is a very prestigious recognition and I am thrilled that Brian is the recipient of this award. Brian epitomizes the phrase ‘student-athlete’ by the way in which he conducts himself on and off the playing field,” head coach Elmar Bolowich said. “Brian does not take any shortcuts to success. He is a leader by example and the most humble and supportive teammate.  He has an exceptional ability to focus on the task at hand, and his competitive spirit allows him to achieve extraordinary success.”

As a team captain, Holt has led his team to a No. 2 national ranking and, heading into the NCAA championship, was leading the nation in goals against average and save percentage. The winningest goalkeeper in Creighton history, Holt has recorded an NCAA-record 43 career shutouts and was the most valuable player of the conference tournament and the MVC Goalkeeper of the Year as a senior.

“Brian comes from a family that has deep roots in the Creighton community. Like other members of his family, he has excelled both as a student and as an athlete at the university,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “His success this season is a fitting tribute to his hard work and determination to leave a legacy at the school.”

Men’s Soccer 2011 Winner

Name Position School
Brian Holt Goalkeeper Creighton

First Team

Name Position School
Perez Agaba Forward IUPUI
Adam Glick Goalkeeper Florida Gulf Coast
Greg Klazura Defender Notre Dame
Colin Rolfe Forward Louisville

Second Team

Name Position School
Tony Cascio Midfield Connecticut
Andrew Fontein Goalkeeper UC Irvine
Matt Horn Defender/Midfielder Winthrop
Bobby Smith Defender Bradley
Adam Still Defender SMU