Sept. 2, 2009
LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior wide receiver Ryan Wolfe is one of only 30 college football players that were announced Wednesday as candidates for the 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior in the Football Bowl Subdivision and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - classroom, character, community and competition.
Wolfe, who before this Saturday's game will be honored with the annual Wiesner Award, is an All-America candidate who already owns his school's career record for receptions, receiving yards and 100-yard games. He is the No. 2 career active receiver in the nation this fall with 209 catches and is again a member of the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, which is given each year to college football's best ball catcher.
The native of Santa Clarita, Calif. (Hart High School) is one of the program's top students, as well, having already earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiological sciences and is now pursuing a master's in sports education leadership. The four-year member of the Rebel Leadership Committee has earned academic All-Mountain West Conference every year eligible.
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.
Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award winner in early January. 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 the winner.
"The Lowe's Senior CLASS Award candidates for football are the best of the best in NCAA Division I athletics," said Bob Gfeller, Lowe's senior vice president of marketing. "They have set high standards for themselves throughout their collegiate careers and have consistently risen to the highest levels in the classroom and in their communities."
This marks the second year for the football division of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. In 2008, Ohio State University linebacker James Laurinaitis took home the inaugural football award.
ABOUT THE AWARD An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: classroom, community, character and competition. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards that a senior season can bring. Sportscaster Dick Enberg, Honorary Chairman of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, first conceived the idea of an award for seniors in 2001 in response to the growing trend of men's basketball players leaving school early for the NBA. The award program has expanded the past two years to include a total of nine NCAA® Division I sports - football, men's and women's soccer, men's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, baseball and softball in addition to men's and women's basketball. The award is sponsored by Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, and managed by Premier Sports Management. For more information, visit www.seniorclassaward.com.
2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Football CandidatesName Position SchoolMike Anello Cornerback Notre DameJavier Arenas Cornerback/KR AlabamaZane Beadles Off. Tackle UtahRichie Brockel Fullback Boise StateAntonio Coleman Defensive End AuburnEric Decker Wide Receiver MinnesotaAuston English Defensive End OklahomaKurtis Gregory Offensive Line MissouriNnamdi Gwacham Wide Receiver Utah StateMoses Harris Safety Fresno StateTim Hiller Quarterback Western MichiganJerry Hughes Defensive End TCUJammie Kirlew Defensive End IndianaSean Lee Linebacker Penn StateDan LeFevour Quarterback Central MichiganAndrew Lewis Offensive Line Oklahoma StateTrevard Lindley Cornerback KentuckyTaylor Mays Safety Southern CaliforniaColt McCoy Quarterback TexasZoltan Mesko Punter MichiganMike Nixon Linebacker Arizona StateEric Norwood Linebacker South CarolinaJoe Pawelek Linebacker BaylorGeorge Selvie Defensive End South FloridaAndrew Sendejo Safety RiceDarrell Stuckey Safety KansasTim Tebow Quarterback FloridaSyd'Quan Thompson Cornerback CaliforniaReed Williams Linebacker West VirginiaRyan Wolfe Wide Receiver UNLV
