| Senior Jessica Rogers |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — UTSA senior Jessica Rogers has been chosen as one of 20 national candidates for the inaugural Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to an NCAA Division I senior softball player who excels both on and off the field.
Candidates were selected based on personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete. While on-the-field performance during their collegiate softball careers is a factor in determining candidates and the eventual winner, their personal character and off-the-field achievements in the classroom and community are major areas of focus.
Rogers, a two-time Southland Conference Student-Athlete of the Year and a 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, has excelled on and off the playing field throughout her stellar career. The South Grand Prairie High product graduated in December 2006 with her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology (3.77 grade point average) and is working toward her master’s degree this spring. On the field, the third baseman has broken three conference — home runs, runs batted in and total bases — and two additional school — hits and extra-base hits — career records this season.
The list of 20 candidates represents 20 different schools from across the nation. The lineup includes schools from 12 different conferences, led by three nominees apiece from the Missouri Valley and Pac-10 Conferences. Rogers is the only Southland Conference representative.
A national media committee will select 10 finalists in April. Those 10 names then will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning April 26 and concluding May 21. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award. Winners will be announced during the week of May 28 during the NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla.
“We are pleased to add softball to the growing list of NCAA sports of the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award,” said Bob Gfeller, Lowe’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising. “College athletics is filled with some remarkable female student-athletes who excel in their sport, work hard toward their degree and make an impact in their local community. These 20 softball players are talented athletes and great citizens.”
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the CLASS award was launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving early to turn professional. Lowe’s has extended the award in 2007 to include four other NCAA sports: baseball, softball, men’s hockey and men’s lacrosse. Those winners will be decided in separate balloting.
The award was conceived by famed sportscaster Dick Enberg, who continues to serve as Honorary Chairman. It was inspired by the remarkable story of former Duke basketball player Shane Battier, who could have been an NBA lottery pick, but returned to college for his senior season, led the Blue Devils to the national championship in 2001 and earned his college degree.