OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Ten NCAA® softball student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected as finalists today for the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. 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. The complete list of finalists follows this release.

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. 

The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in February. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award website through May 14. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I softball head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.

Lowe’s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Women’s College World Series, which will be held May 31-June 6 in Oklahoma City, Okla.

For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

To vote, click here.

Softball Finalists
Valerie Arioto, Pitcher/First Base, California
Katelyn Boyd, Shortstop, Arizona State
Mallory Duran-Sellers, Outfield, Southern Illinois
Julie Fernandez, First Base, Lehigh
Ashley Hansen, Shortstop, Stanford
Michelle Moultrie, Centerfield, Florida
Christi Orgeron, Utility, La.-Lafayette
Cassie Reilly-Boccia, Outfield/First Base, Alabama
Stephanie Ricketts, Pitcher, Hawai‘i
Niki Williams, Utility, Washington