LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky women?s basketball player Sarah Elliott (McKee, Ky.) has been named one of 10 finalists for the Lowe?s Senior CLASS Award in women?s basketball. Ten finalists in both the men?s and women?s division were selected from a list of 30 candidates based on personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete. The four primary areas of criteria include: classroom, community, character and competition.
Elliott, a 6-6 senior center, is No. 11 on UK?s all-time scoring list with 1,417 points and holds the school record for blocks in a career with 177. She currently averages 11.1 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds per game.
Despite battling Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) since the third grade, Elliott was named to the UK Dean?s List in the spring of 2007 and graduated in December ?07, a semester early, with a degree in family and consumer science. She also is an active member of UK?s ?Cats That Care? community service program. Elliott has served as a guest visitor at local hospitals, helped organize a food drive to benefit God?s Pantry and periodically donates her own hair to Locks of Love. Last summer, she traveled to Colorado for the Athletes in Action prison outreach visit.
The women?s finalists are: Meagan Cowher, Princeton University, Sarah Elliott, University of Kentucky, Sylvia Fowles, Louisiana State University, Carlene Hightower, La Salle University, Tasha Humphrey, University of Georgia, Crystal Langhorne, University of Maryland, Sarah Jo Lawrence, George Washington University, Jackie McFarland, University of Colorado, Rebekah Parker, University of Evansville, and Candice Wiggins, Stanford University.
These finalists will be placed on the Lowe?s Senior CLASS Award ballot for a nationwide vote, beginning February 6 and concluding March 21. Fan balloting, available on the award?s official website www.seniorclassaward.com, will be combined with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award. To vote, log on to http://basketball.seniorclassaward.com/women/candidates.aspx.
Winners will be announced during the NCAA Women?s Final Four, April 6-8 in Tampa, Fla. The Lowe?s All-Senior All-America Team will also be recognized.
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 women?s award include Sue Bird of Connecticut (2002), LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State (2003), Alana Beard of Duke (2004) and Kendra Wecker of Kansas State (2005), Seimone Augustus of LSU (2006) and Alison Bales of Duke (2007).
Lowe?s, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, extended the award in 2007 to include six other NCAA sports: baseball, softball, men?s hockey, men?s lacrosse, men?s soccer and women?s soccer.
