Jan. 19, 2007
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Point guard Dee Davis (Cincinnati, Ohio) and forward Carla Thomas (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) were recently named two of the top 30 candidates for the 2007 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, presented annually to the senior basketball player who excels both on and off the court.
The nation’s premier tribute to college seniors, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award was launched during the 2001-02 season to honor the attributes of college basketball seniors who remain committed to their university and pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring.
Davis has ranked in the nation’s top five for assists all season. She currently stands only six assists from owning Vanderbilt’s career assists mark.
With 12 points against Georgia on Thursday, Thomas moved into ninth all-time in scoring at Vanderbilt. Thomas is having her best season since coming to Nashville, averaging over 17 points and seven rebounds per game.
Finalists will be selected based on personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete. These areas of excellence are identified under the categories of classroom, character and community, as well as the candidate’s performance and team loyalty on the court.
This year’s list of 30 candidates includes representatives from 27 schools and 13 conferences. On the women’s side, the Southeastern Conference placed seven athletes on the list — led by Vanderbilt’s duo. The North Carolina and Duke women’s programs also have double candidates.
From the list of 30 nominees, a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award in February as the conference basketball season hits its peak.
Those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote during the NCAA Tournament in March. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient. Winners will be announced during the Final Four weekend.
Recipients of the women’s award include Sue Bird of Connecticut (2002), LaToya Thomas of Mississippi State (2003), Alana Beard of Duke (2004), Kendra Wecker of Kansas State (2005) and Seimone Augustus of LSU (2006).
Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Top 30
Alison Bales, Duke
Amanda Brown, Penn State
Cori Chambers, Georgia
Jazz Covington, Louisville
Jessica Davenport, Ohio State
Dee Davis, Vanderbilt
Jessica Dickson, South Florida
Shay Doron, Maryland
Katie Gearlds, Purdue
Lindsey Harding, Duke
Kiera Hardy, Nebraska
Cameo Hicks, Washington
Kate Hobbs, United States Naval Academy
Tiffany Jackson, Texas
Melanie Johnson, South Carolina
Tara King, Northern Iowa
Ivory Latta, North Carolina
Camille Little, North Carolina
Ali Mann, Bowling Green
Lyndsey Medders, Iowa State
Katie Montgomery, New Mexico
Carrie Moore, Western Michigan
Navonda Moore, Alabama
Lizanne Murphy, Hofstra
Shay Murphy, Southern California
Sarah Pfeifer, Arkansas
Armintie Price, Mississippi
Noelle Quinn, UCLA
Jillian Roberts, Tulsa
Carla Thomas, Vanderbilt