Ball State University Athletics
Peyton Stovall Named Finalist For Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
February 07, 2008 | Men's Basketball
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MUNCIE, Ind. -- Peyton Stovall (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Jeff H.S.), a fifth-year senior on the Ball State men's basketball team, has been named one of 10 finalists for the nation's premier tribute to college seniors -- the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
Stovall, who in January was one of five finalists and recipients of the Coach John Wooden Citizenship Cup, is the first student-athlete from Ball State and the first men's basketball player from the Mid-American Conference to be named a finalist for the award.
“This is an amazing honor for Peyton Stovall,” said first-year Ball State head coach Billy Taylor. “We all continue to be impressed and proud of the student, the athlete and the person Peyton is. To be placed on this national list with these individuals who are highly regarded, is also a great honor for our program, Ball State University, the MAC and for the state of Indiana.”
The award, presented annually to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete of the Year in eight sports, focuses on the “Four C's” of classroom, character, community and competition. Lowe's, an official corporate sponsor of the NCAA, will award the winners with trophies during the NCAA Final Four.
Joining Stovall as finalists for the prestigious national award are Jaycee Carroll (Utah State), Shan Foster (Vanderbilt), A.J. Graves (Butler), Roy Hibbert (Georgetown), Chris Lofton (Tennessee), Drew Neitzel (Michigan State), DeMarcus Nelson (Duke), Brian Roberts (Dayton) and Sean Singletary (Virginia).
The 10 finalists were trimmed from the original list of 30 and are now placed on the ballot for a nationwide vote through March 21. Fan balloting, available on the award's official web site at www.seniorclassaward.com, will be combined with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award.
“These young men and women are outstanding student-athletes who deserve recognition for their achievements on the court and off the court,” said Bob Gfeller, Lowe's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising. “The Lowe's Senior CLASS Award is dedicated to honor senior collegians that are making an impact on others with their talents. We look forward to an exciting finish to the college basketball season and crowning our award winners at the respective NCAA Final Four weekends.”
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. It was initiated after the remarkable story of Shane Battier, who was projected as an NBA lottery pick but returned for his senior season at Duke, led the Blue Devils to the national championship and earned his degree.
Previous winners of the men's award include Juan Dixon of Maryland (2002), David West of Xavier (2003), Jameer Nelson of St. Joseph's (2004) and Wayne Simien of Kansas in (2005), J.J. Reddick of Duke (2006) and Alando Tucker of Wisconsin (2007).
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. For more information, visit www.seniorclassaward.com.
ABOUT LOWE'S
With fiscal year 2006 sales of $46.9 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE? 50 company that serves approximately 13 million customers a week at more than 1,425 home improvement stores in 49 states. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit www.Lowes.com.
