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Baduria One of 10 Finalists for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
Oct. 17, 2008
Los Angeles, CA - LMU women's soccer player Stefanie Baduria has been selected as one of 10 finalist nation-wide for the 2008 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, it was announced Thursday. Baduria is the only representative from the West Coast Conference and is the first Lion women's soccer player to be nominated for the award. Baduria (Long Beach, CA) is in her fifth year at LMU having battled back from two season-ending knee surgeries. A team captain in 2008, she suffered a third season-ending knee injury on September 5 and has not played since.Despite her absence on the field, the injury does not preclude her from being among the candidates considered for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Baduria has garnered many accolades on and off the field. In 2007, she was named Honorable Mention All-WCC, as well as Academic All-WCC and Second Team NSCAA Academic All-Region. In 2004, she was a member of the WCC All-Freshman Team. In May of 2008, she graduated from LMU with a degree in Liberal Studies but returned to campus for a fifth year, during which she is pursuing a Masters in Education. She carried a cumulative GPA of 3.48 as an undergraduate and plans a career in teaching after she completes her Masters. This is the second consecutive year that an LMU soccer player has been selected as a top-10 finalist. Last season, Trini Gomez from the men's team was among the top-5 candidates, earning First Team Lowe's Senior CLASS All-America status. This marks the second year of the award for both the men's and women's soccer divisions. 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 those leaders to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact on their circle of influence. This prestigious awards program was launched by Lowe's, an Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, during the 2001-02 basketball season, added six additional sports in 2007 (including soccer), and has expanded this year to include NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision seniors.
The 2008 women's finalists are: Yael Averbuch (University of North Carolina), Stefanie Baduria (Loyola Marymount University), Lizzie Barnes (United States Naval Academy), Brittany Bock (University of Notre Dame), Jenae Gibbens (Cal State Fullerton), Candace Gonzales (Georgia State University), Kerri Hanks (University of Notre Dame), Molly Johnson (Clemson University), Christie McDonald (Duke University) and Yolanda Odenyo (Oklahoma State University). These 10 names will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning October 16 and concluding November 19. Votes from coaches and media will be coupled with fan balloting to determine the recipient of the award. Fans can vote online during this time period at www.seniorclassaward.com. Winners will be announced during the 2008 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship in Cary, North Carolina, scheduled for December 5-7, and during the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship in Frisco, Texas, scheduled for December 12-14. - GO LIONS - |
