KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the third year in a row, Cornell University has had a men's lacrosse player make the final cut for consideration for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, as Max Seibald has been named among the 10 finalists. Nationwide balloting begins immediately and will conclude May 7. Fan balloting, available on the award's official website www.SeniorClassAward.com, will be combined with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award. Also, for the first time in the history of the award, fans will be able to vote for Seibald via text by sending the message LAX8 to the phone number 839863 (standard text messaging rates apply).

 

 To read Seibald's profile, click here.

The award, presented annually to NCAA Division I student-athletes each year in eight sports, focuses on the “Four C's” of classroom, character, community and competition.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched in 2001 to honor the attributes of college basketball seniors who fulfill their entire athletic eligibility and pursue the many rewards of a senior season and complete college education. Since that time, Lowe's, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, has expanded the award to include other NCAA sports and the award has developed into the nation's premier tribute to college seniors.

This marks the third year for the men's lacrosse division of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Cornell goaltender Matt McMonagle was the inaugural winner in 2007.

To see the full list of candidates, as well as their bios, click here.

“These ten student-athletes are to be commended for their all-around outstanding achievements as a collegian,” said Bob Gfeller, Lowe's senior vice president of marketing. “Lowe's is proud of its affiliation with the NCAA and college athletics, and we are pleased to help honor these individuals who have displayed a commitment to character, community and the classroom in addition to their competition on the lacrosse field."

The 2009 award winner will be announced and presented with the prestigious Lowe's Senior CLASS Award trophy during festivities surrounding the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships, scheduled for May 23-25. The Lowe's All-Senior All-America Team, based on final results of the balloting, will also be recognized.

The 2009 finalists are: