News

Brown’s Jack Kelly wins the 2016 Senior CLASS Award® in men’s lacrosse

May 27, 2016

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (May 27, 2016) – All-American goalie Jack Kelly from Brown has been selected as the 2016 Senior CLASS Award® winner in 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. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the 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. Kelly is the second student-athlete from Brown to win the Senior CLASS Award, following Ryan McDuff who took home the award for men’s soccer in 2012.

“I am honored to be the recipient of the Senior CLASS Award, and it is a true privilege to be selected from such a fantastic group of candidates,” said Kelly, who helped the No. 2-ranked Bears to the program’s second-ever NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Final Four appearance with a win over Navy last weekend. “The coaching staff has instilled a culture that values commitment and excellence both on and off the playing field. My experiences at Brown University have enabled me to grow as a player and leader in the community. I’m thankful to be able to represent my team and university with such a prestigious award.”

A national standout on the field, Kelly developed into one of the nation’s best goalies as a four-year starter and two-time team captain for the Bears. After ranking 9th in the nation in saves per game as a sophomore and 11th as a junior, he repeated his top-15 saves-per-game performance in 2016 while also leading the nation in save percentage (.617). A 2015 Honorable Mention USILA All-American and first-team All-Ivy selection, Kelly was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection in 2016. His 659 career saves is a program record and a number that will likely increase during this weekend’s Final Four.

“With Jack Kelly as a friend, a teammate, or as your leader, you know you will have a devoted, trusted and thoroughly passionate man by your side or out in front leading the charge,” said Head Coach Lars Tiffany, who earned his second straight Ivy League Coach of the Year honor this season. “He has given everything he can to Brown University, from his first days as a freshman through his senior year as a repeat captain for our lacrosse program. The title does not matter to Jack. He is a difference-maker, and he will continue to be as he commences his professional career in finance.”

As committed to excellence as Kelly is on the field, he maintains the same standard when other notable areas including academics, community involvement and personal character. Maintaining a 3.44 GPA, he received Academic All-Ivy honors in 2015 and has spearheaded numerous outreach efforts for the men’s lacrosse team. During his time at Brown, Kelly has organized team visits with at-risk students at a local elementary school and played a major role in the Bears’ annual 36-hour run. According to Christopher Humm, Brown’s Director of Athletic Communications, Kelly’s opinion was heavily considered when the program chose to support the Room to Read and the Rumie Initiative through its 2015 and 2016 36-hour runs, resulting in the building of a new school library in Nepal and the purchase of nearly 200 tablets for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

“Jack Kelly more than just a great lacrosse player; he’s a world-changer,” said Erik Miner, executive director for the Senior CLASS Award. “Part of the goal of the Senior CLASS Award is to honor students who are using their athletic platform to make a positive difference, and that’s what Jack has done while also excelling in the classroom and at the highest level of college lacrosse. We offer our sincere congratulations to Jack, his team and to Brown University.”

Lacrosse 2016 Winner

First Team

Second Team