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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website through June 11. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I men’s head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA College World Series®, which will be held June 15-26 in Omaha.

Jack Connolly has always taken a bit of a different approach to sports – hockey, in particular. For the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner, heading to the rink to chase a puck up and down a sheet of ice was always about family and community.

As a kid growing up in Duluth, Minn., Jack and his older brother Chris became the first generation of Connollys to take to hockey – a sport definitely ingrained as part of life in Minnesota. Neither of their parents had played the game, but together the brothers found a way they could play together and pass the long winter afternoons and evenings, at a rink in their neighborhood, not far from the shore of Lake Superior.

“I remember some of my friends had backyard rinks that their dad made with some plywood and floodlights. That’s really where you develop a passion for the game. I’m a big believer that if you don’t have a passion for the game you’re not going to make it very far or be very successful. That’s something Jack has always had,” Chris said. “He’s a true rink rat out there who enjoys the game. The Duluth community is a big reason for that. Duluth is such a big hockey community and it’s great for us. He’s been happy to give back because Duluth has given both of us so much.”

A decade or so after those days where one would have to drag the boys off the ice some nights, their college hockey careers ended within 24 hours of one another, but not before both brought an impressive array of hardware home to Duluth.

The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award seems tailor-made for a player, and person like Jack Connolly, as it recognizes accomplishments in the classroom, community, in competition and in character. While maintaining a high grade-point average en route to a degree in communication, Jack helped lead the University of Minnesota Duluth to its first NCAA men’s hockey title in 2011. In doing so, he equaled a feat his brother had accomplished just two years earlier.

As a freshman at Boston University, Chris was a member of the Terriers team that captured the 2009 NCAA title. Unable to get to Washington, D.C., for the title game due to school commitments, Jack instead organized a viewing party among friends in Duluth and cheered like wild when his brother’s team took home the crown with an overtime win over Miami (Ohio).

Two years later, Chris and the Connolly parents were in attendance in St. Paul, Minn., to see the Bulldogs take powerful Michigan to overtime, then get the decisive goal as the little school from the Connollys’ hometown stood atop the college hockey world.

While both brothers saw their college hockey careers end short of another NCAA Frozen Four trip this past March, Jack’s accolades were far from finished. At the Frozen Four in Tampa, Fla., in April, he was presented with the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award during the NCAA semifinal games at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. One day later, Jack made history, becoming the first college hockey player to win both the Lowe’s award and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which goes annually to the nation’s best player.

Jack and Chris posed side-by-side with the trophies, both showing off their diamond-encrusted national championship rings, and fondly recalling a supportive brotherly relationship that helped the two of them thrive in sports and in life.

“We’re very similar people, both on and off the ice,” Jack said. “There was never a huge competition between us or anything. I never felt competition or the need to work harder to catch up with him or vice-versa, so that worked our well for everyone. We have a relationship that doesn’t involve a whole lot of animosity.”

It’s that complimentary nature that helped Jack succeed in college hockey despite his average size in a game where dominant players are seemingly getting bigger every year. As a junior, Jack was paired with Mike Connolly (no relation) and Justin Fontaine on the Bulldogs’ renowned “FCC line” and the trio played a huge role in the team’s run to the title. One of the lasting images of the Bulldogs’ postgame celebration was Jack, with a bushy playoff beard, hoisting the national championship trophy as tears of joy rolled down his cheeks.
As a senior, with two new linemates, Jack’s game didn’t slip a bit, as he notched an impressive 60 points in just 41 games and helped the Bulldogs to the top ranking in the nation for much of the season.

“He’s one of the ultimate team players. This year he lost his two linemates, both of whom signed pro contracts. So he played with different guys all year, and you look at the numbers of some of the guys he played with,” said Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin. “Look at their point production and you see what kind of player he is. He makes everyone around him better, and the guys love him in the dressing room, with his personality, and the kind of kid he is.”

That kind of impact was certainly not a new thing for Jack, who has been making an impression on folks with his work on the ice since he was just a child. As a 12-year-old, one of Jack’s coaches was Bill Watson, who won the Hobey for Minnesota Duluth in 1985 and played several years of NHL hockey.

“It’s been so much fun to be a part of this,” said Watson, now an assistant coach with the Bulldogs. “When I first met Jack he was little, just a peewee, but when he stepped on the ice he was one of the most unique guys. It was one of those things where you get on the ice with someone for the first time and you can just feel that impact that they have as a player.”

And those who know him best say that impact is definitely not limited to what he does on the ice or in the classroom.

“He gives back in any way he can, whether that’s going out and skating with kids, or getting involved in charities, helping out at the hospitals, whatever that may be,” Chris said. “It’s also a little different because he’s a Duluth native, so some of those kids have known him since before he was in high school. I know it means a lot for him to give back, and a lot of kids picture Jack as a role model, so it’s not just his on-ice accomplishments. He enjoys giving back to Duluth.”

The Connolly brothers’ game has evolved from the neighborhood rinks in Duluth to the biggest stages of college hockey and now to the professional hockey ranks. A few days after the Frozen Four, Jack signed a two-year contract with Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League, and will soon play hockey for a paycheck at the highest level in Europe.

But his roots in the game will always be in Duluth, skating with his brother, growing together and working toward a day when they’d both bring glory to their family and to their hometown. That lifetime of work on the rink, in the community and in the classroom, makes Jack Connolly a fitting recipient of the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

By KIRK WESSLER

Of the four C’s at the heart of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, one serves as the foundation for the rest.  Character underpins everything.  Almost by definition, individuals of high Character perform well in the Classroom and in athletic Competition, and are inclined to Community service.

“It would be much more difficult to achieve those things without good character,” Nnemkadi Ogwumike says.  “Character is a quality that is constant and unchangeable across a lifetime.  If you have strong character, it’s represented by strong values.”

Ogwumike, all-American and three-time team captain at Stanford, is the winner of the 2012 award in women’s basketball.  Robbie Hummel, the only four-time captain in Purdue basketball history, is the men’s award winner.  It would be hard to find two better examples of character than this pair, so respected by their teammates and coaches they spent almost their entire careers as team leaders.

Stanford reached the NCAA Final Four all four years Ogwumike was on the team.  She is only the fourth player in Cardinal history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career.  But talent is only part of the equation.

“There’s a lot more to her than her basketball skill,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer says.  “Her leadership is outstanding. She’s the oldest of four sisters, and that carries over here.  She’s like an older sister to everybody on our team.”

Now, we can see the talent and the leadership qualities of these young people on the court.  What we don’t see are the sacrifices they make every day.  The neat thing is that Ogwumike and Hummel, outstanding performers who are also outstanding individuals, aren’t inclined to define their lives in terms of sacrifices.  Theirs are simply life choices – to achieve, to lead, to reach out and help others – that stem from a personal code which defines their character.

“As student-athletes, we’re involved in more than just sports and school,” Ogwumike says.  “When it comes to social activities, those come with peer pressure, and it can be tempting to take the shortcut and not stick to the course.  But it’s all about being the bigger person, doing the right thing even knowing you’re the only one who will know if you don’t.”

Great character is a quality critical to overcoming adversity, and few college athletes have overcome more than Hummel.

As a sophomore at Purdue, Hummel suffered a fractured vertebrae and wound up playing in a restrictive brace.  As a junior, he tore the ACL in his right knee just as the Boilermakers were rounding into championship form.  After intensive rehab, Hummel returned to action the next fall, only to re-tear the ligament on the first day of practice, forcing him to redshirt.  After more surgery and rehab, he came back this season to lead Purdue in scoring and rebounding and a near-upset of eventual national runner-up Kansas in the NCAA tournament.

“When adversity sets in, he’s got a great knack for not making excuses and continuing to fight,” Purdue coach Matt Painter says.  “He could’ve played the why-me game, but he didn’t.  He does a great job of leading by example.  We all know what the right thing is to do, but to continue to do it every day when it’s difficult … Robbie is a great example of that.”

Hummel, a young man of few words who especially doesn’t like talking about himself, attributes his character to the “sound foundation” built by his parents.  Whether it’s working on his game, excelling in the classroom, signing autographs for every kid who approaches him, or giving his free time to a list of charitable community concerns, Hummel lives by a simple credo: “If you treat people well and do the right thing, you’re gonna be OK.”

One more thing about great character: It can’t be faked.  Certainly not for an entire career.

“Nneka is real,” VanDerveer says of Ogwumike.  “She’s authentic. She’s not trying to be anything she’s not.”  And Painter says this of Hummel: “He won this award by being himself.”

That’s the character of class.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I men’s ice hockey head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey. 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.

“Winning the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award means a lot to me and the UMD hockey program,” Connolly said. “I always try to do my best in everything that I do whether it be hockey, school or helping out in the community. I am truly honored and proud to receive this prestigious award.”

A three-time Western Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic team pick, Connolly is scheduled to graduate this spring with a degree in communication. During his college career, he interned in the UMD sports information office and wrote a blog for the department’s website. Throughout his years on campus, Connolly has volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club of Duluth, the Pucks for Poverty Program, the Northern Lights Foundation, the Adopt-A-Highway Program and various cancer fundraisers.

“’Class’ is one of the best ways to describe Jack Connolly, so this is certainly a fitting and well deserved honor for him,” head coach Scott Sandelin said. “Everything he does – on and off the ice – he does with class.  I really can’t say enough about what this young man has meant to our program, our school and our community over the past four years.”

On the ice, the three-time All-American and team captain has ranked among the NCAA’s leaders in scoring and assists and has been a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award for each of the past two seasons. After a seven-year absence, the UMD Bulldogs made it back to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2011, winning the national championship with an overtime victory against Michigan.

“Jack Connolly got to realize his dream of playing hockey for his hometown university,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “Because of all he has done in the classroom, on the ice and in the community, he has truly lived the dream to its fullest. Lowe’s salutes Jack for his dedication to the university and the entire city of Duluth.”

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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 20 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website through May 14. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I men’s head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, which will be held May 26 and 28 in Boston.

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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website through May 14. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I softball head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Women’s College World Series, which will be held May 31-June 6 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I women’s basketball head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. 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’m very honored to have earned the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. I would like to thank the Stanford community and basketball fans for all of the support and votes they submitted, but most importantly to me, this award and what it stands for reflects what Stanford is all about,” Ogwumike said.

Ogwumike, who will graduate in June with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, has been a team captain since her sophomore season. In the community, Ogwumike and her teammates serve the homeless and visit local schools to motivate and engage with local youth. Over the past year, they have assisted with Operation Christmas Child, prepared and served food to the homeless and cooked and served meals for families staying at the local Ronald McDonald House.
The national player-of-the-year candidate helped her team to an undefeated Pac-12 Conference season, a No. 2 national ranking and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. She is an All-American and two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year.

“Nnemkadi has demonstrated versatility and creativity throughout both her basketball and academic careers at Stanford,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “She is a strong presence for her team, and Lowe’s is proud to recognize her for the impact she is making off the court as well.”

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I men’s basketball head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. 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’m extremely humbled to win this award. I have great parents who raised me to do things the right way, and I’m so grateful to them. It’s also a testament to my coaches and teammates at Purdue for helping shape my life as I was becoming an adult,” Hummel said. “I’ve always tried to do things the right way and be a good guy. Coach Painter tells us that the air will eventually come out of the ball and how we conduct ourselves on and off the court is extremely important. It feels great to be recognized with a great group of people for living up to that standard.”

A management major with a 3.0-plus grade point average, Hummel frequently takes part in trips to local elementary schools and preschools to read to students in an effort to promote literacy. He and his teammates have also volunteered at a public lunch program for disadvantaged youth in Lafayette and conducted skills clinics for Special Olympics in Indianapolis.

“Guys like Rob Hummel don’t come around very often, but as a coach, you wish you had 10 of him. Rob is the epitome of a class act. He was first-team All-Big Ten as a freshman, and after the season, he told me he’d have been happy if he had played 10 minutes,” head coach Matt Painter said. “He showed up every day wanting nothing more than to help Purdue win, and we couldn’t have asked for a better representative of our program on or off the court.”

Hummel is a three-time All-Big Ten first-team member and was a second-team all-American as a freshman. He finished his career with 1,772 points and 862 rebounds and helped lead the Boilermakers to four NCAA tournaments, including two Sweet 16 appearances.

“Robbie’s college athletics career has been a story of tremendous perseverance and determination,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “He is always striving for excellence in all areas of his life, not just as an athlete but in the classroom and community. It’s those values that Lowe’s is excited to celebrate with this award.”

This is where more similarities emerge. These women genuinely love to help others. At least two - Stephanie Ricketts (P/Hawaii) and Julie Fernandez (1B/Lehigh) - spend time in hospitals interning and volunteering. Several of them, including Molly Coldren (INF/Central Michigan), Mallory Duran-Sellers (OF/Southern Illinois), Chelsea Garcia (SS/Oklahoma State), Ashley Guile (INF/Nebraska) and Ashley Hagemann (P/Nebraska), are majoring in some form of education, planning to take on what is perhaps the most important job in the world, teaching young people. All 30 are volunteers in their community, with many taking on positions both at school and at home.

Reading through all 30 of their profiles, one organization appeared over and over again. At least three different girls - Valerie Arioto (P/1B/California), Ashley McClain (OF/P/Florida International), and Cassie Reilly-Boccia (OF/1B/Alabama) - were involved in some capacity with the Friends of Jaclyn, an organization dedicated to aiding the recovery of children with brain tumors. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation was formed after Jaclyn Murphy, a nine-year-old lacrosse player, was diagnosed with a brain tumor that she only had a 30 percent chance of surviving in 2004. After hearing about her story, the Northwestern University women’s lacrosse team adopted her as an honorary member of the team and went on to have a perfect season. As Jaclyn recovered, she came up with the idea to match children with brain tumors with college sports teams to support them and aid them in their recovery. The organization has helped more than 300 children since.

These three women – and their teammates – adopted children and now consider them teammates, helping to better their lives and make them happy as they recover from potentially fatal illness. By reaching out and gaining three little sisters, the young women displayed maturity and strength, inspiring those same traits in the children that became honorary members of their softball teams.

Maturity and inner strength, it seems, are the qualities that all 30 of these remarkable young women possess that set them apart from the rest of the softball-playing field. It’s certainly one thing to be a fierce competitor – that’s how you make it from the high school level to the college level as an athlete - drive and hard work. It’s another thing entirely to be just as hard-working off the field and to use one’s spare time to make a difference in this world. The 30 girls nominated for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award have done just that, and that’s why they stand out from the rest.

The number crunching revolution, exemplified by author Michael Lewis’ aforementioned book about the deep-level statistical analysis used to keep the early-2000s Oakland Athletics baseball team competitive (Brad Pitt just starred in the movie version, but you knew that), has fixed itself into every last crevasse of the sports world. Lacrosse is no exception. Any extended analysis of the Fastest Game on Two Feet, and it’s stars, must include a requisite numbers breakdown —goals per game, shots ratio, groundballs numbers— to accurately parse the game.

So, yes, in that vein, the statistical breakdown of this year’s Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award candidates is impressive.

Here’s a quick numbers crunch. Through 862 career games, the Fab 20 have combined for an astonishing 1,335 career points. That points number includes two players who, earlier this season, hit the 100 goal/100 assists mark in Cornell’s Rob Pannell, the 2011 USILA’s Lt. Raymond Enners Award winner for the nation’s best DI player, and Virginia’s Steele Stanwick, the 2011 Tewaaraton award recipient.

Don’t forget the defense, as this is an active group. The five defenders on this year’s nominee list —Princeton’s Chad Weidmaier, Jacksonville’s Jake Ziegler, Notre Dame’s Kevin Randall, Ohio State’s Matt Kawamoto, Duke’s C.J. Costabile— have a combined 176 caused turnovers and 468 groundballs between them. The two netminders —Hofstra’s Mike Gvozden and Siena’s Tom Morr—have made 56 percent of their saves through their career.

Talent and leadership are, interestingly enough, also somewhat quantifiable among the nominees. This year’s Fab 20 features nine returning 2011 USILA All-American nominees, and 16 players were elected captains by their 2012 teammates.

There is no doubting the significance of these Big Important Numbers. They build a strong, quantifiable case for why this year’s selectees earned their place on the nomination list for this year’s Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award honors.

Still, as a reporter who’s followed these players through their impressive careers so far, it’s the small numbers, and individual moments, that speak more to why this group is receiving the love in their final season of DI play.

Already, in the early stretches of the 2012 campaign, Lowe’s nominees have produced spectacular moments. At Penn State, nominee Matt Mackrides recently scored the game-winning OT goal with two seconds left, upsetting top 10 program Notre Dame in earning the Nittany Lions’ their best signature win in over a decade. While Mackrides’ box score for the game wasn’t mind-blowing (2 goals), it’s the pressure his goals, particularly the game-winner, were scored under that help define why we’re talking about him now.

Against Binghamton, in the first game of the season, Cornell’s Pannell posted a career-high 10 points, vaunting him into the aforementioned elite 100 goals/100 assists club (only 47 DI players are on the list). Virginia’s Stanwick earned his spot earlier this year in the 100/100 group after a two-goal, three-assist performance against Stony Brook.

If their moment hasn’t happened already in 2012 (it’s still early), there’s a history of big-time performance to look back on for many of the nominees. Duke’s Costabile is remembered as the hero of the 2010 National Championship game after scooping the first face off in overtime and scoring the title-winning goal in less than 10 seconds.

There was Siena goalie Tom Morr, posting a career-high 19 saves in a losing effort against Syracuse in the Carrier Dome. There was Maryland attackman Joe Cummings’, showcasing his flexibility on offense by switching to midfield and helping the Terps make a run to the 2011 title game. There was Villanova’s Matt Bell, helping Villanova as a leader during their push to the NCAA Tournament. There were players like Hobart’s Bobby Dattilo, Robert Morris’ Kiel Matisz and Jacksonville’s Jake Zielger who perform spectacularly day in and day out for teams that live outside the view point of the lacrosse press.

For the nominees, there will be a million tiny moments —on the fields, in the locker rooms, in a classroom— this season that the stat trackers will miss, for obvious reasons. It’s in those moments that the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award recipient will emerge. Here’s to looking forward to that process.

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.

The 2012 candidate class includes six CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-Americans from last season and 10 student-athletes with cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 or higher. Three candidates were National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association first-team All-Americans in 2011, eight candidates are on teams ranked in the USA Today/ESPN preseason top 25 coaches pool, and three participated in last year’s NCAA College World Series®.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA College World Series, which will be held June 15-26 in Omaha.

The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I head coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of 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.

The 2012 candidate class includes five student-athletes with cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 or higher. Two candidates were United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association first-team All-Americans in 2011, 12 candidates are on teams ranked in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse preseason top 20, and five participated in last year’s semifinals and finals of the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, which will be held May 26 and 28 in Boston.

The 20 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I men’s coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of 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.

The 2012 candidate class includes six CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-Americans from last season and 12 student-athletes with cumulative grade point averages of 3.5 or higher. Three candidates were Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All-Americans in 2011, 13 candidates are on teams ranked in the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason top 25, and five participated in last year’s NCAA Women’s College World Series®.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Women’s College World Series, which will be held May 31-June 6 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I head coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of 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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 20 candidates announced in October. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through March 18. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I men’s ice hockey head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four®, which will be held April 5 and 7 in Tampa.

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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 60 candidates announced in November. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through March 18. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I men’s and women’s basketball head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the men’s Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four®, which will be held March 31 and April 2 in New Orleans. The women’s award winner will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Final Four®, which will be held April 1 and 3 in Denver.

For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

“[Jack] had skills, a head for the game,” Sandelin said. “I thought he could be a player for us for four years and I hoped we could build around him.”

Five years later, Connolly, who spent one season in the USHL, is a senior at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is still only 5-8, 170, but Sandelin’s hopes have turned into reality.

Connolly led the Bulldogs to their first NCAA title in school history last season and he might lead them to another. Going into the final weekend of January, UMD was the nation’s No. 1 team in both major national polls and was 16-1-3 in its last 20 games.

And Connolly is leading the nation in scoring with 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points. He has a 20-game points streak, which ties a school record.

“We’ve gotten spoiled because we see [Jack] every day,” Sandelin said. “His hand-eye coordination is amazing. He picks pucks out of the air. He is a special kid, a special player.
“He is very humble, a team-first guy who everyone has a ton of respect for, and is pretty even keel.”

He’s an iron-man, too. Ever since bantams, when a couple broken front teeth kept him out, Connolly has never missed a high school game at Duluth Marshall, a USHL game at Sioux Falls or a college game at UMD.

He also is remarkably consistent. Connolly has been held without a point in consecutive games just once since his freshman season. He has 61 goals and 177 points in 149 games.
“I’ve played with some really good hockey players,” Connolly said. “Our team has had some success and I’ve had puck luck as well.

“A lot of my points [are] assists. I am always looking for open teammates. On my goals, I take shots when there is an opportunity. I may not have the hardest shot, but it is decently accurate and I try to pick a corner.”

Mark Connolly bought his son, Jack, a UMD jersey at age 5. And his father still sees the little boy in Jack when he watches him play.

Jack and his older brother, Chris, a senior forward at Boston University, grew up on outdoor rinks. Their home in the Duluth Heights neighborhood was on a hill and at the bottom was a rink.

“I was the rink director and had keys to the building,” Mark Connolly said. “Upstairs was a community room, downstairs were concessions.”

Jack’s mom, Judy, helped run the concession stand.

“It helped being involved,” Mark Connolly said. “If we weren’t there, friends of ours were. And the boys skated outside on the coldest days, on Saturdays they started at 9 a.m. and were there the entire day to 5 or 6 at night, eating hot dogs.”

Jack was an all-state soccer player in high school and could have played at a Division II college if not for the tug of hockey, the sport he loved the most.

His soccer skills still surface on occasion when he catches a puck with a skate, then quickly slides it to his stick.

“He has been very fortunate that at every level, starting with squirts and peewees, every coach of his recognized his talent and stuck with it, including Scott Sandelin,” Mark Connolly said.

“He didn’t try to change me as a hockey player,” Jack Connolly said. “He’s rough on me when I make mistakes, but he lets me play the way I always had. He didn’t make me a grinder, or ask me to go out and shut down lines, work the corners and bang bodies. That’s not the way I play. I am more of a skilled guy.”

He attended Chicago’s NHL development camp two summers ago and the Wild’s last summer and is an undrafted free agent.

“I felt I fit in fine with the pace of the game and skill level,” Connolly said. “It gave me a little hope.  I’d like to give [pro hockey] a shot.”

As for the college game, he has already mastered that. Or as Connolly humbly said: “I’ve done a pretty good job.”

That was exactly the situation this summer during the Big Ten’s Kickoff Luncheon when Michigan State senior quarterback Kirk Cousins stepped to the podium. The crowd of 1,800 soon discovered, however, that the speech delivered by Cousins, one of about two dozen speakers that day, would be different.

Vastly different.

Cousins started talking about privileges – the privileges afforded a student-athlete and also the responsibilities of having to live up to these privileges. He mixed in some good natured humor and talked about the student-athlete’s duties as role models.

“We could redefine ‘what is cool’ for young people,” Cousins said. “We could set a new standard for how to treat others. We could embody what it means to be a person of integrity. We could show to young people that excellence in the classroom is a worthy pursuit. We could show that it’s more important to do what is right, than to do what feels right.

“While I believe we as players, do not deserve the platform we have been given ... we have it nonetheless. It comes with the territory of being a college football player in the Big Ten. May we as players have wisdom to handle this privilege and the courage to fulfill the responsibility we’ve been given.”

About seven minutes later, Cousins finished: to a standing ovation.

Cousins’ speech should be mandatory viewing for everyone involved in college athletics from student-athletes to coaches to administrators.

As good as Cousins is at public speaking, he’s not too bad of a quarterback. Just ask Wisconsin.

On Oct. 22, Cousin’s 44-yard Hail Mary pass to wide receiver Keith Nichol with no time remaining gave Michigan State a 37-31 upset of Wisconsin in what ranks as one of the greatest finishes in college football history.

Cousins, in his usual humble manner, downplayed the game-winning touchdown.

“We work on it every Thursday,” Cousin said after the victory. “We work on it over and over and over.

“Ultimately you’re just trying to put it in the end zone. Buy time for the guys to get down there. I tried to buy as much time as I could then I felt like I needed to let it go.”

Behind Cousins, the Spartans are closing on the Big Ten’s Legends Division title and a berth in the inaugural Big Ten championship game. And the biggest reason is because of Cousins – on and off the field. Cousins is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. The other finalists are Emmanuel Acho (Texas), Jake Bequette (Arkansas), Drew Butler (Georgia), Austin Davis (Southern Mississippi), John Dowd (Navy), Chase Minnifield (Virginia), Dan Persa (Northwestern), Nate Potter (Boise State) and Dawson Zimmerman (Clemson).

Earlier this season, the three-year starter surpassed Jeff Smoker as the winningest quarterback in school history. Now he’s preparing for the end of an ultra-successful career.

“That’s part of being a senior,” Cousins said. “You’re coming down to your last stretch and you want to make the most of it; you want to finish as strong as you ever have. Sometimes it gets brought out the wrong way, and sometimes it gets brought out the right way.

“Certainly I’m being coached to make sure I don’t hurt my team with my emotion. It will be important going forward to just use my passion and channel it to turn into wins for our team.”

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I FBS coaches, national football media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. 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’m very honored to be named the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner,” said Cousins. “This award represents its namesake – class – and anytime you’re associated with something that talks about class, integrity and character, it’s very humbling. To even be in the running for this award, with all of the other amazing student-athletes in this country and their impressive accomplishments and credentials, is very special. It goes without saying that our coaching staff, my teammates, and our program in general is a classy organization, and by being around them, it gives me a chance to win an incredible award such as this.”

Cousins carries a 3.684 cumulative grade point average and and graduated this month with a degree in kinesiology. He is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. The Holland, Mich., native is only the second three-time captain in the 115-year history of Spartan football. One of Michigan State’s most involved student-athletes, Cousins has participated in numerous community initiatives. He has volunteered on the pediatric ward at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, and he has spoken to countless church and youth organizations. He was also a member of the 2010 Allstate Good Works Team as selected by the American Football Coaches Association and was a two-time finalist for the Wuerrfel Trophy, which honors the college football player who combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement.

“Kirk Cousins is certainly deserving of being named the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner,” Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio said. “He represents the ideal scholar-athlete. Throughout his career, Kirk has pursued excellence in the classroom and on the playing field. He’s made a tremendous effort to have a positive impact in the community as a whole. In addition, Kirk is a remarkable leader who has become a great ambassador, not only for this university and the Big Ten Conference, but all of college football. He’s a winner in all aspects of his life.”

Cousins holds school records for passing touchdowns (65) and completions (696). He has completed more than 64 percent of his passes for his career – a mark that is No. 1 in Michigan State history and No. 3 in the Big Ten record books. Heading into the Outback Bowl, Cousins had compiled a 26-12 mark as the starting quarterback, including a 21-5 mark his junior and senior seasons.

“Kirk is a tremendous football player. He’s also demonstrated what a great role model a student-athlete can be for young kids,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “His respect for the game and the opportunities it provided him to make an impact on his community have been evident throughout his entire career at Michigan State.”

Living up to her moniker, Danielson has not only worked hard and given an immense amount of physical and mental strength on the court and in the classroom as part of the women’s volleyball program, but she has also consistently volunteered her time to local charities. The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is an accolade that recognizes the outstanding achievements of a volleyball student-athlete in the “Four Cs”—classroom, character, community and competition.

The 5’10” outside hitter and native of Ewa Beach in Oahu has been an integral part of the squad since her freshman season, but it was during her senior year leading the Rainbow Wahine that she really started to hit her stride.

“I was really excited to take on this [leadership] role, because it only makes me a better person, a stronger individual. Not only on the court but as a person in life,” said Danielson. “I’m still learning a lot and trying to be a better person for my lower classmen.”

While it may have exciting aspects, being a student-athlete is often anything but easy. Between practices, traveling to away games, classes and homework, most students are lucky enough to just squeeze in a bit of a social life. Danielson has chosen to take a step further with consistent volunteer work in her community. Danielson was twice named to the WAC all-academic team, along with being a two-time CoSIDA All-American.

“It all depends on how well you can handle time management,” she said, uttering the golden words of most successful student-athletes. “There are teachers who care and understand that you are a student-athlete. As long as you show that you’re trying and that you are attempting to become the best student-athlete that you can be, things will work out.”

Danielson has spread out her valuable time among the Manoa Makeover campus cleanup, a reading workshop for students at the Ali’iolani Elementary School, and various beach cleanup projects, among other volunteer opportunities.

“It’s all about giving back. You always want to show that you’re appreciative for what’s been done for you,” Danielson said. “I shoot to be a role model for my younger sisters because they still have a lot more of their young lives ahead of them. And I try to make the world a better place, especially my own island.”

With the 2011 volleyball season over and her senior year of college drawing to a close, Danielson is optimistic about the future and hopes to be able to work within her favorite sport for many years. She plans to graduate in May, at which point she will begin to look for professional volleyball playing opportunities abroad.

“I plan to play volleyball as long as I can and as long as my body will let me,” Danielson said. “I’m not ready to face the real world yet as far as having a job job, and if volleyball is going to keep me away from that for a while, then I will certainly be doing that.”

Yet, he has managed to stand tall in the net and off the pitch in more ways than one.
Holt wound up as one of four NCAA Division I goalkeepers still standing as Creighton earned a spot in the NCAA Men’s College Cup in Hoover, Ala. So, given his play and leadership on the field, and focus, classroom and volunteer work off it, it was not surprising that he was named the men’s soccer winner of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for 2011.
“It’s a great award and I’m honored just to be nominated,” he said. “There are so many soccer athletes out there who do so much. To accept the award on their behalf is tremendous.”
Which says a lot about Holt’s character.
Then again, Holt’s teammates and friends knew about his character as captain of a team that is among men’s college soccer’s final four.

Holt certainly demonstrated he has excelled at the Lowe award’s ideals—community, classroom, character and competition—on and off the field.
On the soccer pitch, Holt has been outstanding. He recorded his 43rd career shutout - an NCAA record—in the Blue Jays’ 1-0 quarterfinal win over the University of South Florida December 4. He has a minuscule 0.22 goals-against average this season, with a Division I-best 21 wins and 18 shutouts. He has surrendered but five goals in 23 matches in more than 2,000 minutes played this season. He also was named a semifinalist for the men’s Hermann Trophy, college soccer’s version of the Heisman Trophy.
“I have a backline that deserves a lot of credit,” he said. “They do a tremendous job in front of me. I try to put myself in a good position to make a save so when I’m called upon, I’m able to deal with the situation.”
Still, not too shabby for someone who has stood tall in a position dominated by players who are six foot and taller.
Not surprisingly, there have been doubters, but Holt’s outstanding performances have silenced them.
“I think some people have an impression and their own perception on how a goalkeeper should be. I never looked at it that way. I never thought about my size. Every single player has his size and style. I just try to play to the best of my ability.”
When asked about his playing style, the humble Holt replied, “I don’t like talking about myself, but since you’re asking, it is being quick and being able to read the game well to my advantage.”
The Omaha Creighton Prep graduate was just as impressive in the classroom, registering a 3.73 GPA as a double major in finance and entrepreneurship as he was named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year.
At the present time, Holt is considering a career in the insurance industry, although he has not ruled out the possibility of playing pro soccer if the opportunity exists in Major League Soccer or the United Soccer League.
“I would definitely like the opportunity to play at the professional level,” he said.
Holt also has found time to do some charity volunteer work. He volunteered at Camp CoHoLo, a camp for children with cancer. He also helped with collections for Haitian relief and Siena Francis House Homeless Shelter. He also worked at several youth soccer clinics in Creighton.
“We feel it’s part of our personality to give back to the community,” Holt said. It’s very rewarding. It’s something that we need to do.”
These are heady times for Holt. Playing for a national championship and graduating in December.
But he is hardly getting ahead of himself.
“At this point, I’m not thinking about that,” he said. “I’m extremely dedicated to my team. This is my priority at this point.”
Which says a lot about Brian Holt and why he won the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I women’s volleyball coaches, national volleyball media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball. 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.

“It’s an honor to be selected out of the many student-athletes that were recognized,” Danielson said. “Much credit goes out to those who have helped me on this amazing volleyball voyage.”

A native of Ewa Beach in O’ahu, Danielson has been on the Western Athletic Conference academic team and is a two-time member of the CoSIDA Academic All-American second team. The interdisciplinary studies major participates in beach cleanup efforts with her team and has also been part of the Manoa Makeover – an effort to beautify the campus. She participates in reading workshops for students at Alii’lolani elementary school and has volunteered at the Kaneohe drug rehabilitation clinic.

“Kanani excels in all facets of this award,” Hawai’i head coach Dave Shoji said. “She is an excellent student-athlete and her performance on the court is the most obvious of all of them.”

Danielson is an American Volleyball Coaches Association first-team All-American. She has won three straight WAC Player of the Year awards and was the conference’s freshman of the year.

“Kanani has shown her love for and dedication to her home state when she made the decision to remain in Hawai’i to go to college,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “Her outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments reflect not only her hard work but also her respect for the university and what it stands for in her community.”

Prior to the University of Memphis women’s 2010 soccer season, Lizzy Simonin was asked to move from forward to backline. Many players would balk. Simonin, on the other hand, has thrived and has been just rewarded

It should not be surprising that Simonin was named the winner of the Lowe’s CLASS award for women’s soccer for 2011 because she exemplified the award’s ideals—community, classroom, character and competition—on and off the field.

“I was very shocked and I would like to thank the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for choosing me,” she said. “It was stiff competition.”

And then Simonin said something that revealed a lot about herself.

“I couldn’t have done this without my teammates. I just come in every day and work hard.”

That is working hard on and off the field.

Just exactly how does Simonin accomplish all of that and then some?

“Time management is important as a student-athlete,” she said. “You have to take tests, be a student and go to practice. It’s pretty much like a job. I’m pretty much accustomed to it, having done it all my life. I know what I’m accustomed to – on the field and in the classroom.”

And that means being flexible. She was switched from the forward line to the backline last year and Simonin did not miss a step. In fact, she was honored as the C-USA defensive player of the year in 2010 and earned first team National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Central Region team honors.

She recently was named a semifinalist for the women’s Hermann Trophy - college soccer’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy.

“Again, I was very surprised and shocked,” she said. “I am very honored to be one of the 15.”

As captain of the Tigers soccer team since her junior year, she helped the Tigers (22-1-1) to the second round of the NCAA Division I women’s tournament this year, where they lost to Louisville, 2-0, their first and only defeat of the season.

“We absolutely reached one of our goals this year,” she said. “I guess we can say we were not satisfied. We gave it our all against Louisville. It was just heart-breaking ending a season like that.”

In the classroom, Simonin has forged a 3.81 grade-point average, including a perfect 4.0 in the 2009 fall semester. She also is a three-year winner of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal.

When she wasn’t excelling at school, Simonin found time to work at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, where she and her teammates have worked every January.

“There is an event every Martin Luther King Day,” she said. “It’‘s an amazing atmosphere. Thousands and thousands of people come in all day. It’s amazing about the history.

Simonin also found time to assist in the Americacorp Trick-or-Treat event. She and her teammates dressed in Halloween costumes and went around the city collecting donations for under-privileged youth. During Christmas each year, Simonin has been an Angel Tree volunteer as well. Simonin also has assisted in developing young soccer players in the various camps at Mike Rose Soccer Complex.

“We just wanted to give something back,” she said. “It’s something you want to do in the back of your mind. The coaches tell us what the opportunities are and we say, ‘Yeah, let me do it.’”

After she graduates, Simonin said she wants to become a physical education teacher. She also wants to coach high school soccer.

While growing up in Lee’s Summit, Mo., Simonin was a three-sport participant in high school—basketball, softball and soccer. She said she chose the latter because of her coaches.

“They made me want to keep playing and excelling,” she said.

And speaking of lessons learned, Simonin has learned so much more about herself on a different level during this four years at Memphis.

“I just learned that I’ll never know how good I can be unless I push myself every single day,” she said.

She was reminded about that when she came back from an ankle injury as a sophomore.

“It was more on the mental side,” she said. “I learned that I could do anything I wanted to do if I set my mind to it.”

Lizzy Simonin certainly has done that and then some.

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.”

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

“This award speaks volumes of what this program, university and city are about. I could not have won this award without past and present teammates, friends, alumni, classmates, teachers, fans, mentors and my coaches. Winning the Senior CLASS Award is a huge honor in itself, but the belief from everyone around me has surpassed the importance of this award,” Simonin said. “Last but not least, I want to thank my family, especially my parents. I could not have done the things I have achieved if it weren’t for them. They have driven me from day one to work hard every single day.”
The Lee’s Summit, Mo., native has a cumulative grade point average of 3.81 and has appeared on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll three years. She is one of the Tiger athletic department’s strongest student-athletes as a Dean’s List and Tiger 3.0 Club member every semester. She will graduate with a degree in physical education teacher education. Simonin has worked as a volunteer at the National Civil Rights Museum and the Children’s Museum of Memphis. She also participated in the Americacorps Trick-or-Treat event where she and her teammates dressed up in Halloween costumes and collected donations for the city’s underprivileged youth.

“This award speaks volumes of the character of Lizzy. She absolutely represents what this award is about and this could not have happened to a better kid. What she has brought to this program day in and day out, on and off the field, is second to none,” Memphis head coach Brooks Monaghan said. “In regards to the program, it means the world to us to have one of our student-athletes to be recognized with this award, and what it stands for is tremendous. Anytime you get a national award, it’s great for the university. I can’t think of a student-athlete who is more deserving of this honor.”

The Tigers finished with a record of 22-1-1 – the best in school history – and for the second consecutive year, Simonin was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. A team captain, she anchored a defense that recorded 14 shutouts and allowed 0.53 goals per game.

“Lizzy has shown by her actions on and off the field that she is a leader for Memphis,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “Her willingness to change from a scorer to a defender midway through her career is a testament to a true team player, and she models that character in the classroom and through her community service as well.”

Princeton chose Lauren and she chose them right back.
 
If the purpose of college is get your education and then land a job, Lauren has that covered.  If you can accomplish those two primary goals while serving and adding to your community, you are exceptional.  Lauren is exceptional.  Many student athletes ask what’s in it for me, sometimes forgetting where they came from and who helped them achieve.  She knows the path in her rear view mirror helps chart a course through the front windshield.  She views the world through a wider lens that’s in focus 24/7.  She is taking full advantage of her college experience on and off the court.  She represents what’s good in the term “student-athlete” and has defined her college experience with trailblazing honor and pride.  She could be bulletin-board material and the face of the NCAA’s propaganda on student-athletes because of what she has accomplished and her willingness to take on the next challenge.

You can read Lauren’s bio page regarding her academic achievement and athletic honors or read about her trips to different and often desolate regions of the world during the past three summers like Cambodia, Senegal and Italy.  You might learn that Lauren already has a job on Wall Street with Barclay Capital upon graduation.  Underneath an impressive pedigree is an inner drive and desire to excel with an awareness of her community.  Lauren Edwards knows the definition of commitment and dedication.  She exhibits these leadership traits as captain of the Princeton women’s basketball team, which is picked to win the Ivy League. 

Lauren understands choices and circumstance.  She is a by-product of carefully plotting her journey.  I asked her what she gained from her “summer world tour” and Princeton’s academic environment.  She remarked that each summer’s project was different but the cornerstone of each experience was hard work, dedication, commitment and the willingness to work as a team.  Some of those projects she worked on included building houses, teaching school or leading a basketball clinic.  She continues to use each experience in college and every resource available to her to grow the inner spirit.
Lauren goes about her day like most college students.  Her days are full of economics classes, lectures, small discussion groups and practice.  At Princeton, there are no classes from 4:45 -7pm each day so students can engage in extra-curricular activities, including playing varsity sports.  While enjoying the competition on the court, Lauren competes in the classroom as well.  The past two seasons, she has been named to the prestigious Princeton Honor roll.  Only five student-athletes are selected each semester.  She has received an award that her peers at Princeton desire. 

Lauren’s nomination demonstrates the fundamental roots of this award’s legacy.  This award is about recognizing the best, those that are committed and excel at a high level. Lauren has demonstrated her ability to pay forward and be a teammate who wants to sincerely impact the world.  According to her head coach, Courtney Banghart, Lauren is a special blend of talent and selflessness. “It’s a special team when your best player is your hardest worker, and Lauren is just that. Lauren is the epitome of a student-athlete in every sense of the word. She is one of the premier players in our league as a two-time first-team All Ivy League player and an exceptional student and teammate. It is a sincere honor to coach Lauren. She makes us better both on and off the court.”

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.

The 2011-12 candidate class includes three men’s players who were members of last year’s CoSIDA Academic All-American team, one Associated Press All-American and seven players who are on teams ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 25 poll.

The women’s candidate class includes one CoSIDA Academic All-American, two Associated Press All-Americans and 12 players whose teams are ranked in the Associated Press preseason top 25.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the men’s Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Final Four®, which will be held March 31 and April 2 in New Orleans. The women’s award winner will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Final Four®, which will be held April 1 and 3 in Denver.

The 60 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists in both men’s and women’s basketball midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I men’s and women’s coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. 


Hawaii’s Kanani Danielson and Pepperdine’s Kim Hill have much in common beyond success on the volleyball court. The two senior All-Americans bring new meaning to the term “time management” when managing to devote quality time in the community and in the classroom.

And it’s all done with a humility that is as rare as they are.

“She wears it well,” Pepperdine coach Nina Matthies said of Hill. “If you didn’t look at the stats, you’d never know she was a great athlete. She never talks about herself, deflects the praise. Volleyball is very important but it’s not the most important thing. She’s a straight-A student, is involved with religious groups and SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee), volunteers. She’s just an outstanding human being.”

Hill, Pepperdine’s female athlete of the year as a junior, has taken advantage of non-athletic opportunities that the school offers, including a summer study-abroad program in Florence, Italy.
The religion major is part of Pepperdine’s Project Serve; she volunteered at a Boys and Girls Club on a Native American reservation “which was an amazing experience,” Hill said. “It was sad when it was over and I’m still good friends with the kids there.

“I was raised to believe God is first, family second, and volleyball and everything else comes after. I needed a faith-based school and I wanted to play at a top DI school. Pepperdine has been the perfect fit.”

The 6-foot-4 opposite hopes to play professionally after graduating in May. But the bigger dream is helping the Waves win their first West Coast Conference championship since 2003 and make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007.

“It would be exciting to get that championship and get into the postseason,” she said. “It’s something I’ve never experienced.”

Danielson has competed in the NCAA tournament the past three years, with the Wahine advancing to the final four her sophomore season.

That she is a native Hawaiian playing for Hawaii is a source of pride. So is her culture; many of her community service projects reflect the Hawaiian practice of malama o ke aina (taking care of the land).
“My favorite project is taking the limu (seaweed) off the reefs so the reefs can keep growing,” said Danielson, who graduates in May with a degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Earlier this season, the 5-10 Danielson became just the seventh player in the storied Wahine program to reach the 1,000-kill, 1,000-dig mark.

“She may be the best all-around player the program has ever had,” said Hawaii coach Dave Shoji, in his 37th season. “You take the six volleyball skills and she is probably in the top five in all of them among all the players we’ve had … except for serving. That was the weakest part of her game until this year. She worked hard at it and it’s right up there now. She could have been a setter, has such a high volleyball IQ, great court awareness. She’s a tiger on the court but she’s this soft, mild-mannered person off the court. She’s a very well-rounded person, strong in the classroom and a terrific volleyball player.”

Shoji said that when watching Danielson come up through the ranks of local club volleyball, “We knew we had to have her in the program,” he said. “I wasn’t convinced she’d be the player she has turned out to be, wasn’t sure she’d be the terminator she is until we got her in the gym.

“All athletes of this caliber have a quality about them. Very few people achieve what she has been able to achieve.”

Danielson has shown a quiet leadership that speaks volumes when watching from either side of the net.

“Kanani gives Hawaii a kind of leadership and dynamic that is pretty special,” Utah State coach Grayson DuBose said. “You don’t get to be a three-time, soon to be four-time, All-American because you’re lucky.”

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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in August. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through December 5. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I FBS head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2011 football bowl season.

“You’ve got to choose one of the two; doing both is almost impossible,” Agaba said of the setup in his homeland, where college sports are essentially limited to intramural activities. “You’re either going for the academics or for the soccer, and you’ve got to decide.”

There was no doubt which way Agaba would have gone. He was approached by a professional soccer club about signing with them.

“I sat with my mom,” he recalled, “and I told her, ‘I love playing soccer, but I’ll be honest about life: Soccer’s not really going to give me what I need to live the life I would love to lead.’ ... I was ready to just play for fun and go to school.”

In the end, Agaba didn’t have to choose one of his loves over another.

Thanks to his time in a study abroad program that brought him to the U.S., he found his way to Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis and has continued to excel.

“I was really excited to get the chance to do both,” Agaba said. “I like the balance between the sports and academics and life outside the classroom.”

Agaba is one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for men’s soccer, which 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.

He is passionate about each of the four hallmarks of the Senior CLASS Award: classroom, community, character and competition.

The youngest of eight children raised by a single mother – his father passed away in an automobile accident when he was 6 years old – the importance of education was instilled in Agaba from a young age.

“If you’re going to be successful, you’ve got to earn it,” he remembers his mother telling him. “To me, that was the start of everything.”

His family couldn’t afford for him to stay in school on their own, but community members in Kampala helped out to make sure his education continued. Agaba repaid them with success. His academic achievement was to the level where he was featured in stories about the country’s top young scholars, and he earned an opportunity to study at the Brooks School in North Andover, Mass., opening the door to a U.S. education.

At IUPUI, Agaba has a perfect 4.0 grade point average majoring in biomedical engineering with a minor in pre-med/mathematics and has claimed nearly every academic award possible. Last fall, he was named a first-team Academic All-American by ESPN and the College Sports Information Directors of America and was the Summit League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in addition to receiving several prestigious scholarships.

Exactly what’s next for Agaba academically isn’t clear yet – he’s applying to medical schools and graduate schools. “I’m trying to keep my options open,” he said. “If I get into medical school, that’s my first priority.”

That goes back to Kampala, which like many communities in Uganda and across Africa have sub-standard hospitals and medical facilities. Agaba said that during his second year of high school, he started thinking about how the community had helped him throughout his life.

“How best can I give back to the people who have given so much to me?” he asked himself. “I think it would only be fair enough if I grew up and specialized in a career that helped my community the most, and the only thing I could think of was a health care career.”

And much like those who helped him stay in school back home, Agaba tries to do the same in his current community. He’s a mentor at Harshman Elementary School, part of Indianapolis Public Schools, where he stresses the message his mother ingrained in him: Education and hard work are the keys to success.

“I was really excited to know that I’d have the opportunity to interact with the younger people because that’s our future generation,” he said. “(At Harshman), I’m basically dealing with young scholars who are at a high risk of dropping out of school because of what is going on at their home. Their situations are related so closely to what it’s like at home in Uganda. Kids have to drop out of school not because it’s a choice, but because they just have to (to support their families). ... To me, it’s a passion. I love doing it.”

Of course, Agaba also loves his time on the soccer field.

The 5-foot-10, 160-pound forward has 13 goals and seven assists in 65 career appearances (46 starts), and has scored five game-winning goals. Last fall, he was a second-team selection on both the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Midwest Region team and the All-Summit League team.

Needless to say, with classes, mentoring, soccer practice and games, including travel to road matches, organization might be Agaba’s biggest strength.

“Being a student-athlete, it doesn’t matter what you’re taking, it doesn’t matter what you’re majoring in, it’s always going to be busy and it boils down to how well you manage your time,” he said. “There’s a lot of sacrifice, that’s for sure. Being on the road most of the time, you’re missing classes, you’ve got to make up for them. There are tests you’re missing, you’ve got to make up for that. But to me the most important thing is realizing that for these four years you’re going to have to sacrifice.”

But Agaba wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I like the combination,” he said. “I think without this kind of life, it would have been a little more boring. I’m used to it – for 3 1/2 years, I’ve been doing this.”

And doing it very well.

> Northern Illinois’s Chandler Harnish has served an internship in the Huskies’ athletics marketing office.

> Washington State’s Jared Karstetter served a microbiology lab internship and was a traumatic brain injury research assistant. He will enter dental school following his football career.

> Nebraska’s Jared Crick is a two-time member of the Brook Berringer Citizenship team for his community service for the Huskers.

> Penn State’s Nate Supar interned with a video crew at Camp Woodward – nationally known for its gymnastics and extreme sports training.

> Georgia’s Drew Butler, Navy’s John Dowd and Notre Dame’s David Ruffer were first-team ESPN CoSIDA Academic All-Americans last year.

> Texas’s Emmanuel Acho and his family have made several medical mission trips to his native Nigeria. The family would like to build a permanent clinic.

> Arkansas’s Jake Bequette finished his bachelor’s degree in finance in three years, was accepted to law school and has deferred his enrollment so he can work on a master’s degree.

> Virginia’s Chase Minnifield finished his degree in sociology in three-and-a-half year and is now pursuing a master’s degree in the school of education.

> Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins was a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team in 2010. Acho and Crick are members of the 2011 team.

> Northwestern’s Dan Persa has been a member of the 10-player Leadership Council for four years.

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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in August. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through November 21. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, which will be played December 15 and 17 in San Antonio.

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.

The 2012 candidate class includes three student-athletes who participated in last year’s national semifinals and championship and one first-team U. S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) and American Collegiate Hockey Association All-American. Eleven of the 20 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Eleven of the candidates play for teams ranked in the USCHO.com preseason top 20 poll. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four®, which will be held April 5 and 7 in Tampa.

The 20 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I men’s coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of 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.

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 men’s candidates and 30 women’s candidates announced in August. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on either the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website or the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through November 14. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winners during the 2011 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Cup championships. The Women’s College Cup will take place December 2 and 4 in Kennesaw, Ga., while the Men’s College Cup will take place December 9 and 11 in Hoover, Ala.

“I went in expecting to bring a smile to people’s faces,” said Havel, a senior middle blocker at College of Charleston.

What she didn’t expect was for the experience to change the way she approached life as a student-athlete. Havel is one of many candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award who have contributed to communities across the globe and taken the lessons back to their campus and their teammates.

The list also includes volleyball candidates Tanya Schmidt (Santa Clara) and Kelsea Seymour (Southern Mississippi) and football candidates Emmanuel Acho (Texas) and Matt Reynolds (BYU).

Schmidt, a middle blocker with a 3.97 GPA, has lived with families abroad the past three summers as she’s worked with the local community, including teaching English to elementary school children in Cusco, Peru, in 2010. For Schmidt, the opportunity to immerse herself in another country was an easy decision.

“I enjoy meeting and learning from people of other cultures,” Schmidt said. “Also, I have been blessed with so much; I feel a responsibility to give to and share with others.”

Like Schmidt, Seymour has made trips each of the past three years, going to the Dominican Republic (2009), Mexico (2010) and Peru (2011). The trips included bringing supplies to children and aiding with their medical care.

Seymour said her first trip, to the Dominican Republic, was shocking because of the level of poverty that people lived in. But it also opened her eyes to just how amazing people could be despite their living conditions.

“I was so surprised that even in all of that poverty the people were always smiling and welcoming and thankful that we were there,” Seymour said.

Unlike the other candidates, Reynolds’ time abroad was closer to a move than a trip as he served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Munich, Germany.

While he was there, Reynolds assisted people in his community with various service projects while spreading his message of faith.

Similarly, Acho’s trips abroad were undertaken with a clear goal. And in his case that was to help provide medical care to people in his parents’ native country of Nigeria.

Acho and his family — his older brother, Sam, was a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalist last year — go each summer on medical mission trips, during which they assist approximately 40 doctors who attend to villagers who may only see a doctor once a year.

Havel put herself in a similar situation with a medical mission to Honduras. As doctors at makeshift clinics on the outskirts of town tried to take care of everyone they could, Havel was with them step-for-step, doing whatever was needed.

The language barrier was difficult to break down, but now when she’s on the court she can always lean on that experience.

“It’s changed me because I’ve realized how much we need teamwork,” Havel said. “That was a big thing there, working with the translators, getting a message across. Communication is huge.”

For better or worse, these candidates can’t forget the sights and sounds of their trips across the world. Some beautiful, some heart breaking, everything is now a part of their lives and will influence them moving forward.

“Rather than answering my questions about issues of justice, solidarity, and my place within our collective global responsibility,” Schmidt said, “the experience left me with more questions.”

And that’s the eternal struggle inherent in the search for knowledge. The more you seek an answer, the more questions you’ll find. But that doesn’t make the journey any less rewarding.

Since the inception of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at the NCAA level and later at the campus and conference levels, involvement on this committee allows student-athletes to combine their interest in community service with their ideas and input on how their respective athletics departments are run.

Marquette women’s soccer player Natalie Kulla serves as the secretary for her school’s SAAC. She is one of 21 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in women’s soccer, men’s soccer and women’s volleyball who are active in the SAAC.

She says the SAAC provides student-athletes an opportunity to be involved in the community on their own terms.

“It’s fun for us to try and research different projects within the community that we can be involved in as student-athletes – where we can make a difference,” Kulla said. “It’s kind of neat that we can be the people that decide what we will do as a student-athlete group and what we think is important.

“At Marquette, being an urban campus and having a lot of different organizations, it’s hard to be able to be involved in community service projects. With the SAAC, we can tailor our services to when student-athletes can be involved.

Kulla, a St. Louis native, was the Big East’s goalkeeper of the year as a junior and holds a 3.6 grade point average in civil engineering.

Matt Horn, a two-year team captain for Winthrop men’s soccer, is president of the university’s SAAC and is the school’s representative on the Big South Conference SAAC. The Cornelius, North Carolina, native also serves as the Big South’s representative to the NCAA’s Division I SAAC. He has a 3.9 grade point average and is majoring in biology.

As a member of the NCAA’s Division I committee, Horn has attended meetings the past three years and participated in monthly conference calls discussing such topics as student-athlete well-being, NCAA legislation and community service projects.

“It’s just an incredible experience being on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and at the conference level and the NCAA. I’m really fortunate to be part of it,” Horn said. “The main thing for me is the community service aspect. That’s really cool. We worked with Samaritan’s Feet at the national level. The experience that was amazing. I personally got to meet with the founder Manny Ohonme. I went on a mission trip with him to Peru that was awesome.

“We work with Read Across America, where we go into schools and read to kids and they read to us. It’s one of my favorite things. You get a lot of one-on-one time with the kids. They have crazy stories and they remind you of what it’s like to be a kid,” he added.

Horn says working with the NCAA has given him an idea for just how many people are working behind the scenes to care for student-athletes. He says his work with the NCAA Division I SAAC has allowed him to work on various subcommittees that encompass everything from student-athlete medical safeguards to the NCAA legislative process and has given him and others opportunity for professional development.

Norma McDuffie, Winthrop’s senior woman administrator and advisor to the SAAC, doesn’t know how Matt finds the time to be so active in the committee on top of his other duties.

“Considering Matt’s dedication to his academic pursuits and excellence on the soccer field, I am always amazed that he devotes an abundance of time to serve others,” McDuffie said.

Wichita State volleyball player Mary Elizabeth Hooper serves as the secretary/treasurer for the Shocker SAAC. The setter is majoring in health science and has a 3.7 grade point average.

Student-athletes agree that the SAAC gives them the chance to do good things in the community. Among the projects Kulla’s group has worked on are an annual canned food drive and offering services for a local community support center.

“My favorite part is that it allows us to do some of the same things regular students can do, but since we have different time constraints, we are able to find time that works for us to be involved,” Kulla said.

The 2011 men’s and women’s soccer candidate class includes 15 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Americans from last season. Half of the 60 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Ten of the candidates were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America as 2010 Academic All-Americans. Twenty-six of the candidates play for teams ranked in the NSCAA’s preseason top 25 polls. Six student-athletes participated in the 2010 NCAA Men’s or Women’s College Cups®. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winners during the 2011 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Cup championships. The Women’s College Cup will take place December 2 and 4 in Kennesaw, Ga., while the Men’s College Cup will take place December 9 and 11 in Hoover, Ala.

The Football Bowl Subdivision candidate class includes four Associated Press All-Americans from last season. Eight of the 30 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Five of the candidates were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America as 2010 Academic All-Americans. Twelve of the candidates play for teams ranked in the USA Today preseason top 25 poll. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award winner during the 2011 football bowl season.

The volleyball candidates include nine American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans and eight honorable mention All-Americans from last season. More than half of the 30 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Two of the candidates were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America as 2010 Academic All-Americans. Ten of the candidates play for teams ranked in the AVCA preseason top 25 poll. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award winner during the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, which will be played December 15 and 17 in San Antonio.

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.

The 2011 candidate class includes nine American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans and eight honorable mention All-Americans from last season. More than half of the 30 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Two of the candidates were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America as 2010 Academic All-Americans. Ten of the candidates play for teams ranked in the AVCA preseason top 25 poll. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, which will be played December 15 and 17 in San Antonio.

The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of 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.

The 2011 candidate class includes four Associated Press All-Americans from last season. Eight of the 30 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Five of the candidates were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America as 2010 Academic All-Americans. Twelve of the candidates play for teams ranked in the USA Today preseason top 25 poll. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2011 football bowl season.

The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. 


As a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award staff member, the comfort is in knowing that as of today, when 60 candidates are announced for the men’s and women’s soccer award, the country will get to meet 280 of the best and brightest in NCAA Division I college sports. We read through hundreds of nominations each school year in the 10 sports in which this award is given. To select just 20 or 30 per sport to be candidates for the award is almost impossible. The stories are just too good.

Soccer players already immersed in their biology major, researching cures for diseases. Volleyball players building houses for those less fortunate. Football team members going on mission trips to foreign countries and creating instant bonds with children in those countries. And that’s just the fall sports. Along the way, we will meet incredible basketball, hockey, lacrosse, softball and baseball players too.

It’s tempting to read only about the athletes who make the news for all the wrong reasons. It’s uplifting to read about the stars who, through humility and gratitude, choose to make a difference in their communities and on their campuses.

Enjoy the 2011-12 school year. It will be worth your time getting to know the candidates, finalists and winners of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

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.

The 2011 candidate class includes 15 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Americans from last season. Half of the 60 have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better. Ten of the candidates were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America as 2010 Academic All-Americans. Twenty-six of the candidates play for teams ranked in the NSCAA’s preseason top 25 polls. Six student-athletes participated in the 2010 NCAA Men’s or Women’s College Cups®. Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winners during the 2011 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Cup championships. The Women’s College Cup will take place December 2 and 4 in Kennesaw, Ga., while the Men’s College Cup will take place December 9 and 11 in Hoover, Ala.

Each of the 30 candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplify excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. 


Virginia’s Tyler Wilson completed the honor roll in June. He holds a degree in biology, and plans to become an orthopedic surgeon when he finishes a baseball career that took him to the College World Series and now the pros. Undefeated as a senior at UVA, the right-handed pitcher was a 10th-round pick in the major-league draft and just signed with the Baltimore Orioles.

The 2010-11 school year delivered eight other winners of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award who not only stood out for their athletic accomplishments but also their character, performance in the classroom and contributions to their communities. In nationwide votes by head coaches, media representatives and fans, they were adjudged the best of the best.

“It is such an honor to be recognized for integrity and leadership,” said the women’s basketball selectee, Connecticut All-American Maya Moore. “Sometimes, those are the things that get taken for granted when recognizing great players and teams.”

Not here. The Senior CLASS Award recognizes the total-package Division I college athlete. The acronym in the name says it all: Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School.
 
The winners came out of 10 different schools—from Villanova to Brigham Young, Navy to Northern Iowa, Akron to Air Force. They notably included the national players in the year in both men’s and women’s basketball, BYU’s high-scoring Jimmer Fredette and UConn’s Moore.

Fredette is active in the local Children with Cancer Christmas Foundation, and accompanied other BYU athletes on a service trip to Nicaragua in 2009. Pick a number with Moore, now averaging better than 13 points a game for the Minnesota Lynx after being selected first overall in the WNBA’s April draft. She led her Connecticut teams to two national titles and a 150-4 record in four years, became only the second two-time winner of the Honda Broderick Cup as the nation’s top female college athlete and, along the way, compiled a 3.669 grade-point average while earning a degree in sports media and promotion.

Elsewhere:
—Men’s soccer winner Anthony Ampaipitakwong of Akron is a volunteer regular who has worked with Habitat for Humanity and a local shelter for homeless women and children.
—Northern Iowa’s Ellie Blankenship, the first Senior CLASS Award winner in volleyball, helped with sandbagging during the 2008 floods in Cedar Rapids.
—Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs was president of his class at the academy, and says his goal is to be elected U.S. president in 2040.
—Hockey’s Jacques Lamoureax was one of the nation’s most prolific scorers at Air Force and an insider at the Pentagon, where he researched and analyzed data pertaining to combat effectiveness and deployments.
—Brian Karalunas, a long stick midfielder on Villanova’s NCAA tournament-qualifying lacrosse team, inaugurated an educational program for prison inmates.
—Softball pitcher Chelsea Kelley overcame three major surgeries to finish among the top five in eight career pitching categories at Radford. A summa cum laude graduate in sports medicine, she has been accepted into the university’s physical therapy doctoral program.

“The four years of hard work, I feel like it was worth something at the end,” Kelley said of her Senior CLASS Award recognition.

A number of winners, present and past, have continued to distinguish themselves by assisting in Red Cross fund-raising efforts in the wake of this year’s rash of tornadoes and flooding. At least 19 of them—including Hawkins, Fredette, Karalunas and Kelley, along with the likes of 2001 basketball winner Shane Battier—have used their social networking outlets to solicit donations.

“Everbody loves Tyler Wilson, there’s no doubt,” Virginia coach Brian O’Connor said. “He’s just got an infectious personality—he’s somebody you love being around. He’s very honest. I don’t know what else to say—the kid just looks at the world the right way. I believe when you’re that way, you’re rewarded for it.”

Wilson’s worldview is inherently gratifying. When helping others is what makes you tick, external rewards become less important. Of course, Wilson still said he was “very, very excited” to be named the winner of the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which honors a senior who has excelled in athletics as well as academics, while demonstrating the values of leadership and community service.

“What makes me happy as a person is making other people happy,” Wilson said. “I think it’s really important to use my position as a player here at the University of Virginia to reach out to others—not only different students in the UVa. community, but helping students around here. I like to volunteer in middle schools, and to help people that need it. I think when you’re in a position with an immense amount of blessings as an individual, it’s your job to share them.”

Wilson’s service in the community goes beyond the work he does as a tutor for fellow UVa. students and local middle schoolers. He has also volunteered with the Special Olympics, where he was thrilled to work with athletes “who are just as in love with the sport that they play as I am with baseball.” He has worked with the Angel Tree organization to sponsor a family and deliver gifts during the holidays. He is heavily involved with bible study and campus ministry groups. And he works with the Abundant Life program, which helps underprivileged children in the Charlottesville area.

“We set up programs where we will teach them different sports—we’ll teach them soccer, teach them basketball, and really just give them an opportunity to get out with other kids,” Wilson said. “We give them an environment that’s full of energy and love, and let them reach some kind of success, and be with an organized group of people who are looking to put them on the right path.”

Even Wilson’s post-baseball plan is built around his desire to helping other people. A biology major, Wilson is an outstanding student who has appeared on UVa.‘s honor roll six times, and he said he would like to go to medical school to become an orthopedic surgeon when his playing days are done. Specifically, he wants to perform Tommy John surgery on athletes who injure their elbows.

“My dream as a child has always been to play pro baseball,” said Wilson, a 10th-round pick by the Orioles this June. “I’ve been blessed enough to have that opportunity, and that’s coming up here soon. I’m going to give that 120 percent every day that I can. But growing up, I thought it was important to establish another career option that I was in love with. I love the medical field. Knowing how directly Tommy John surgery is related to baseball, that seems like a perfect fit if that becomes an option down the line—to help put people back together, give them another chance to succeed.”

Wilson had an opportunity to start his pro career after his second consecutive standout season in Virginia’s bullpen in 2010, but he made it clear to scouts that he intended to return to school for his senior year, so he slipped to the 35th round of the draft. Wilson’s wipeout slider and resilient arm made him a serious weapon in the bullpen, but the Cavs needed him as a starter this spring, and he embraced the conversion—anything to help the team. His quality four-pitch mix—which also includes an 88-92 mph fastball, a solid changeup and an occasional curveball—has helped him thrive in a starting role. He was 8-0, 2.34 with 111 strikeouts and 21 walks in 88 innings heading into Virginia’s super regional matchup with UC Irvine.

“Everything’s worked out for him,” O’Connor said. “I talked to him about making him a starter last year in his senior year, and he’s risen to the occasion and has been Mr. Consistent for us all year long. It’s always about others, and not about Tyler.

“He has been a terrific pitcher for our program, and he’s had a lot of success both out of the bullpen and now this year starting. But more important than that, he’s been a real leader in our clubhouse for a couple of years. He’s one of those special players that the right things matter to him all the time. He’s very, very unselfish, and I think the world of him. I’m just so proud of him.”

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I baseball. 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.

“As the recipient of the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in baseball, I feel extremely privileged, honored and blessed.  At the University of Virginia, we acknowledge the creed ‘The Pursuit of Excellence,’ a concept I have always felt is truly epitomized by the categories of this award. It is every student-athlete’s mission to strive for excellence in the classroom, surrounding community, personal character and athletic competition,” Wilson said. “I am honored to be the selected recipient of this award that quintessentially represents what every athlete around the United States contributes to his or her respective university. After finishing my four years here, I want to thank my coaches for their guidance and endless spirit, my friends for their unwavering support and my family for their genuine love. I couldn’t have achieved any of this without the dedication and perseverance of those close to me. Above all else, each opportunity was placed in front of me by the hands of God, making it most important to give all thanks and praise back to Him.”

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.

Wilson graduated from Virginia in May with a degree in biology. He was a member of the Dean’s List, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Phi Eta Sigma honor society. After his baseball career is finished, Wilson plans to enter medical school, where he will study to become an orthopedic surgeon. Wilson is a leader in Athletes in Action, running Bible study and serving in outreach programs. He works with others through college and higher education ministry and has served as a youth coach for six years in addition to volunteering for Special Olympics and the Angel Tree program.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for Tyler. He chose to come back to UVa for his senior year to complete his degree and stay with his teammates, and he now has his diploma and is playing in the College World Series once again,” Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor said. “Tyler epitomizes the fundamentals of this award. He is a tremendous student and teammate, is active in the community and has been extremely loyal to the University and our baseball program. He is an incredible leader for the players in our program as well as the students at our University. I can’t think of a more deserving recipient than Tyler Wilson.”

Wilson finished his career in the Cavaliers’ top 10 list for career victories and strikeouts. His sub-3.00 earned run average this season helped Virginia claim the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. He was a 10th round selection by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.

“Tyler has carefully mapped out his future after his baseball career is finished and that’s a tribute to his dedication to both baseball and his academic pursuits,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “We salute Tyler for his success on the field and for his leadership on campus and in the classroom.”

Beginning this week, at least 19 winners will begin using their social networking outlets to solicit donations for the American Red Cross. Each former student-athlete will use Facebook pages and Twitter accounts to reach out to fans, friends and followers and direct them to a site for donation at http://www.seniorCLASSaward.com/TeamSCA/. A complete list of the award winners who have agreed to participate thus far follows this release as well as a link to their Twitter accounts.

Several former award winners have been directly affected by tornadoes this spring. Both Emeel Salem (2007 baseball winner) and Charlotte Morgan (2010 softball winner) graduated from the University of Alabama. Salem has been actively tweeting about his most recent visit to Tuscaloosa after seeing first-hand the devastation to his college community. In addition, Wayne Simien (2005 men’s basketball winner) lives 50 miles from Reading, Kansas, and 150 miles from Joplin, Missouri, and Sedalia, Missouri – three towns that suffered severe damage from tornadoes in May.

“I’ve been back to Tuscaloosa in the last week and seen what this town is dealing with after the tornado. And I know there are many more towns just like Tuscaloosa that are struggling to pick up the pieces after severe weather,” Salem said. “It’s critical that we help as much as we can with the rebuilding efforts of these people and support these communities in their time of greatest need.”

Shane Battier, currently playing for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, will reach out to his followers as well. Battier’s decision to return to Duke for his senior season provided the inspiration for the Senior CLASS Award 10 years ago.

Winners of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award logged many hours of community service during their collegiate careers. Since graduating, they have remained active and continue to place a priority on giving back to the communities in which they live and work.

Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Winners Participating in the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Efforts
Alison Bales, Duke, women’s basketball (2007)
Shane Battier, Duke, men’s basketball (2001)
Danny Bibona, UC Irvine, baseball (2010)
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, men’s basketball (2010)
Stephanie Cox, Portland, women’s soccer (2007)
Jimmer Fredette, BYU, men’s basketball (2011)
Colin Greening, Cornell, hockey (2010)
Kelsey Griffin, Nebraska, women’s basketball (2010)
Kerri Hanks, Notre Dame, women’s soccer (2008)
Ali Hawkins, North Carolina, women’s soccer (2010)
Brian Karalunas, Villanova, lacrosse (2011)
Chelsea Kelley, Radford, softball (2011)
Brandon McArthur, Florida, baseball (2009)
Charlotte Morgan, Alabama, softball (2010)
Stacey Nelson, Florida, softball (2009)
Emeel Salem, Alabama, baseball (2007)
Wayne Simien, Kansas, men’s basketball (2005)
Landis Stankievech, Princeton, hockey (2008)
Jason Yeisley, Penn State, men’s soccer (2009)

To access the Twitter accounts of these winners, visit http://twitter.com/#!/SnrCLASSAward/teamsca/members.

To donate visit our Red Cross donation website.

“At first I was kind of in shock,” Kelley said. “I had already been excited just to be a finalist. The thought that I had won…I didn’t even know what to say. At first I thought he (head coach Mickey Dean) was kidding with me and joking around, but no he wasn’t. I was very excited and the four years of hard work – I feel like it was worth something at the end.”

Dean, who told Kelley she had won the award said, “I am so honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to coach Chelsea over the past four years. To see a kid go through so many challenges throughout her career and to see her handle each obstacle with such dignity is a true statement to her character. One of the more astonishing things is for this young lady to win the fan vote against such great odds. I believe that shows the incredible impact she had on the people she had come in contact with.”

A sports medicine major with a 3.94 GPA, Kelley is the fifth senior to be named winner of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Previous winners were: Caitlin Lowe, Arizona, 2007; Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech, 2008; Stacey Nelson, Florida, 2009, and Charlotte Morgan, Alabama, 2010.

A native of Roanoke, Va., Kelley was named Virginia AA State Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 before entering Radford in the fall of 2008 and looking forward to contributing to the Highlanders’ softball program. Coming into her freshman year, however, she had just had work done on a tendon in her ankle.

“I came in with that injury and was rehabbing it. Then, because of that injury, I ended up having a nerve complax, so I had to have my nerve reconstructed. I pretty much missed all of my fall season of my freshman year. I didn’t get to travel in the spring and really didn’t play very much my freshman year due to that injury. I spent time rehabbing and retraining my foot how to move because I lost all control of my foot.”

In her freshman year, Chelsea made seven appearances pitching 11 innings and compiling a 2-0 record with four strikeouts. She had a break-out season in 2009, her
sophomore year. Appearing in 47 of the team’s 56 games, she compiled a 25-8 record and was named Big South Conference Pitcher of the Year. She ranked 27th in the NCAA in wins and ninth in saves.

Then, she suffered another injury in the pre-season of her junior year, tearing her labrum in her shoulder.

“I got it checked out, got an x-ray done and it was torn, “Kelley said. “At the time we had only three pitchers, so I sat down with my coaches and we talked about it. They told me I could either try to play the season with it or just go ahead and have the surgery done and call it a year. I decided that with their help that I would rather play the season with my arm torn and just get it fixed once the season ended. So I played all of my junior year with my shoulder torn and then got it fixed a week after we lost in the regionals. So I had that repaired in June of last year. Then I rehabbed it in the fall of my senior year and then didn’t get to start throwing until almost December and the season started in February.”

Despite the injury, Kelley compiled a 25-9 record and earned first-team all-conference and Big South All-Academic honors. She appeared in 44 of the team’s 55 games and ranked 28th in the NCAA in wins. For the second year in a row, she led the conference in wins (league and overall).

After having the surgery, Kelly continued to rehab and was looking forward to her senior year. She was hoping of course, it would be one free of injuries. Unfortunately,  it wasn’t.
Right before the season started, however, she suffered another injury.

“We were doing a rundown drill and I fell down and actually separated my AC joint and possibly did damage to my (left) shoulder, which is why we didn’t have an MRI done because I didn’t want to get shut down,” Kelley said.

Chelsea pitched her senior year and despite compiling a losing record (6-8) she was named to the Big South Conference all-tournament team. She had an MRI after the season was over, and helped lead the Highlanders to their third consecutive regular-season title before being upset in the conference tournament by Liberty, 3-1.

“It was definitely not what I wanted to see, “ said Kelley about her senior year. “Going into it I was told that I might not even get to play this year. My surgery was a 12-month recovery and I was determined to do it in eight. So just to play I was very excited about having success my last two years.”

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches, national media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I softball. 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.

“I feel very honored to be the recipient of the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.  The entire Lowe’s journey this year has been so great for me. This experience has allowed me to get out in the community and try to make a positive impact on those I meet,” Kelley said. “Although Radford is in a smaller community, every person I have met during my collegiate career has positively influenced the person that I am today. I feel truly blessed to have been a part of the Radford community for the last four years and just want to thank everyone who has led me to where I am today.”

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.

Recently named the Big South Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Kelley maintained a 3.94 grade point average through her career. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in sports medicine and has been accepted into the university’s physical therapy doctoral program. A member of Radford’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Kelley has represented the school at the Big South’s leadership conference. She is involved in numerous charitable activities, including Special Olympics and the Ronald McDonald House.

“I am so honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to coach Chelsea over the past four years. To see a kid go through so many challenges throughout her career, and to see her handle each obstacle with such dignity is a true testament to her character,” head coach Mickey Dean said. “One of the more astonishing things is for this young lady to win the fan vote against such great odds. I believe that shows the incredible impact she has on the people she has come in contact with.”

Kelley’s exploits on the softball field have led to Radford winning three straight Big South regular season championships and advancing to its first two NCAA tournaments. Kelley finished in the top five in eight career pitching categories at Radford, including second in saves and third in wins.

“Chelsea has certainly fought through injuries during her outstanding career, but she’s proven that giving up on her dream was never a consideration,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “She’s used her experiences to make herself a better player on the field and to build a better community off the field.”

Karalunas?

Philosophy majors are a rare breed in lacrosse, a sport that usually funnels players into lucrative careers on Wall Street or Madison Avenue. So, when peering over Villanova Wildcats’ Brian Karalunas’ resume, his collegiate major, so often tied to the image of tweedy professors with leather-patched corduroy jackets, definitely stands out.
“It wasn’t my intention to be a philosophy major,” Karalunas says, laughing a bit. “I stumbled into it, but it’s been great. It’s been a way to think about life differently.”

Philosophy, though, suits Karalunas, the 2011 recipient of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS award. His active career as both a student and an athlete at Villanova is driven by his personal philosophy, one built on character, focus and leadership.

“As much as people like to group them together, being a ‘student’ and being an ‘athlete’ are two separate things. I didn’t want to have success in one while making up stuff in the other. I wanted to be successful at both,” says the 2011 Wildcat team captain. “When I arrived at college, that was the plan I had in the back of my mind. If I had an opportunity to extend out on something, I would take that opportunity and focus on that. When I was at practice, I was a lacrosse player.  When I part of a group, I was a group member, when I was a student, I kept my focus on my studies. I took the zoned-in approach.”

Karalunas’ philosophy bore fruit for him over his four-year career. As a student, he finished his academic career with a 3.93 GPA, earning Big East Male Scholar-Athlete honors for his work. He also received recognition for his work on the Villanovan, the university newspaper, as a member of the National Society of Scholars and as a finalist for the university’s Spanish Poetry Reading contest.

His most visible work, though, came on the lacrosse field, as a team captain for the NCAA Tournament participant Wildcats.

As a longstick midfielder, Karalunas prowled the middle of the Wildcats’ defense, always looking to force the turnover against opponents. He finished the year with 74 groundballs and an eye-popping 70 caused turnovers, while leading the team to an 11-5 record and an NCAA Tournament at-large bid (Villanova fell to the University of Denver in the first round).

He was showered with post-season awards, including Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors, Villanova’s Male Student-Athlete of the Year award and USILA first-team All-American honors. 

Even with an impeccable work ethic, balancing sports, extracurriculars and school work was a trying process for Karalunas.

“It wasn’t that clear cut,” says Karalunas, who recently played his first game as a professional with the Long Island Lizards. “There were a lot of late nights, staying up to 4 a.m. and 5 a.m., and you wonder sometimes what you’re doing. But overall it went well. I just realized academics comes first, then lacrosse.”

An extended trip to Latin America is in the works, and in the immediate future, Karalunas plans on attending law school.

This summer, however, he’ll continue his work in lacrosse, playing in Major League Lacrosse and coaching camps and clinics across the country this summer, hopefully sharing the philosophies that helped shape his career with new teammates and younger players.

“I’m going to play as long as I can,” says Karalunas. “And when my legs aren’t good enough to play, I’m going to coach. I love it so much.”

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

“It is humbling to receive such a prestigious award amongst so many worthy candidates. It’s a true honor to be recognized not only for hard work on the field, but also in the classroom and in the community as exemplified by the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award,” Karalunas said.  “I’m truly thankful for everyone who supported me throughout my college career and helped me reach this point.”

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.

In the classroom, Karalunas has maintained a 3.94 grade point average and has been named to the Dean’s List every semester. Among his many academic honors, Karalunas is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. As part of his community service efforts, Karalunas founded the Graterford Maximum Security Prison Restorative Justice Program, an inmate educational program exploring alternatives to the retributive justice system with an emphasis on forgiveness, victim-offender relations and community building. In addition, the two-time Big East Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year is an awards proctor for the Villanova Special Olympics Fall Festival – the largest student-run Special Olympics festival in the United States.

“Brian’s best qualities are that he’s a leader on the field and off the field. He’s got an incredible work ethic and strives to be the best in everything he does, whether it’s on the field, in the classroom or in the community,” head coach Mike Corrado said.  “I can’t think of anyone that is more deserving of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, and it’s an honor to have been able to coach him and watch him grow throughout the past four years at Villanova.”

The team captain has also had an impressive collegiate lacrosse career. He’s a three-time all-American and two-time winner of the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year award and led the nation in caused turnovers per game. He finished his career as the school’s career leader in that category. Villanova ended its season with a run to the NCAA tournament where the Wildcats lost in the first round.

“Brian is an excellent example of a student-athlete who makes community service a priority in his life,” said David Geren, Lowe’s vice president of marketing. “To do the kind of work he’s done in the community at the same time as leading a top-ranked lacrosse program is a testament to Brian’s leadership skills and his passion for service.”