Softball's Nelson Named Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Finalist
Friday, March 6, 2009 | Softball
Senior Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.), a pitcher for the No. 2/2 University of Florida softball team, was named one of 30 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award softball finalist, according to the awards committee's announcement Friday.
The CLASS Award stands 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.
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: Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition.
“It is an honor to be selected as a finalist,” Nelson said. “Not only is it amazing to be recognized by Lowe's, but it is an honor to be in the consideration pool based on the past winners, knowing their status and what they have achieved.”
Nelson is a two-time All-American who has earned numerous athletic and academic accolades. Not only has she been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association's (NFCA) All-Southeast Region first team twice, but she was the 2008 Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Year for a 21-1 conference record. An All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive selection, Nelson struck out 127 SEC opponents, allowing only 84 hits and a .178 opponent batting average last year. She was named SEC Tournament MVP and to the Women's College World Series All-Tournament team.
Nelson currently holds seven Florida career pitching records and 13 single-season records. She is also the only pitcher in school history to rank in the top 20 for career fielding percentage (.968) and she threw a school-record 46.2 shutout innings during the historic 2008 70-win season.
In 2008, Stacey earned ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-America honors, becoming the first UF softball player to be named to the first team. She was also the first in program history to be honored with both All-America and Academic All-America accolades in the same season. The philosophy major has also been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice and upon graduation, she aspires to work toward becoming an advocate for child soldiers in Africa.
A representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Nelson was a co-chairman of Climb for Cancer, which gives children with cancer a chance to play sports with UF student-athletes. She also has spent time at various elementary schools in the Gainesville area, reading to children and being a mentor. As a member of the softball team, she helped build a home for a local family through Habitat for Humanity and has spent the last four holiday seasons delivery sneakers to children through the UAA's Gator Tracks program.
Twenty-nine NCAA colleges and universities are represented among the 30 candidates for the 2009 award, including five from the SEC.
From the list of 30 candidates, a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award at the end of March. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning March 30 and concluding May 7. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award. Winners will be announced during the 2009 NCAA Division I Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla., held from May 28 to June 3.
For more information on the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, please visit www.seniorclassaward.com.
