Kansas City, Mo. - UMKC men’s soccer player Garret Guthrie has been named to the initial list of 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, it was announced today.  The award, given annually to senior student-athletes across nine NCAA Division I sports, has become one of the most prestigious honors in college athletics and is sponsored by Lowe’s, an Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA.

“I don’t think there could be anyone more deserving of consideration for this award than Garret,” said head coach Rick Benben.  “He’s been an outstanding player, unselfish in his contribution to our team.  He’s put the team first throughout his career, which has shown in all the different roles he’s taken for our team - goalscorer, defender, midfielder.  Academically, he’s always been on top.  He’s been a real leader for our team off the field, providing a strong, positive example for all of his teammates, and particularly our newcomers this year.  Certainly it’s well-deserved and couldn’t happen to a better person.”

Guthrie has started 39 matches for the Kangaroos over his four-year career, with 60 total appearances.  He has scored two goals on the 2008 season, sitting just one goal outside of the career top-10 for UMKC with 12 goals.  He was named a second team all-Summit League selection in 2007 after twice earning Offensive Player of the Week recognition.

He has also excelled off the field, earning back-to-back ESPN/CoSIDA District 7 Academic All-America honors as a sophomore and junior, adding NSCAA Scholar all-Region honors as a junior.  The chemistry major was also honored with UMKC’s Jack Gant Award in 2008, given to the best overall student-athlete based on both athletic and academic criteria, and was the recipient of the Lester Milgram Award in 2007.

The Wichita, Kan., native is the first Kangaroo selected as a semifinalist for this award and just the second Summit League player in any sport.  Oral Roberts men’s basketball player Caleb Green was chosen as a semifinalist for the 2006-07 season.

Thirty male and thirty female senior student-athletes who have displayed both on-field and off-field excellence have been selected as candidates for the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in the men’s soccer and women’s soccer divisions.  These individuals qualified based on their dedication and achievement in four areas: Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition. The Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award is distinctive from many other honors in that on-the-field performance is only one factor in determining candidacy – a major emphasis is placed on off-the-field commitments and personal character.

The 2008 candidates on the women’s side represent 26 different NCAA colleges and universities and 19 athletics conferences across the country. Four schools – Clemson, Notre Dame, BYU, and USC – boast two candidates each within this elite group of seniors. The Atlantic Coast Conference leads the pack with four candidates while the Big East Conference is close behind with three. The men’s list follows a similar pattern with 28 schools representing 17 conferences. The University of South Florida holds the multiple-athlete honor on the men’s side with two candidates. The Big East conference dominates with five total candidates followed by the Big Ten, Pac-10, and Ivy League, which are tied with three each.

From the list of 30 candidates (complete list in the attached PDF), a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in both divisions in October. Those 10 names from each division will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning October 9 and concluding November 19. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award. Winners will be announced during the 2008 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championships in Cary, North Carolina, scheduled for December 5-7, and during the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championships in Frisco, Texas, scheduled for December 12-14.

“The caliber of individuals in this year’s senior class of soccer players made narrowing the field to 30 for each category very difficult,” said Bob Gfeller, Lowe’s senior vice president of marketing and advertising. “We are ecstatic to see how many talented senior student-athletes are electing to use their skills not only on the playing field, but also in the classroom and in the community.”

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving college early to turn professional. The award was conceived by sportscaster Dick Enberg, who continues to serve as Honorary Chairman, and has recognized winners in men’s and women’s basketball for seven years. Lowe’s extended the award in 2006 to include baseball, softball, men’s hockey and men’s lacrosse, then in 2007 added men’s and women’s soccer. The award will also include the sport of football this fall, bringing the total awards program to nine NCAA Division I sports.