Dec. 28, 2007

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - UNC senior defender Jessica Maxwell has been named to the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award All-Senior All-America Team based on voting results of the finalists. Joining Maxwell on the 2007 First Team are: Rachel Buehler of Stanford University, Stephanie Lopez of the University of Portland, Lindsey Ozimek of Charlotte and Ella Masar of the University of Illinois. The Second Team consists of: Valerie Henderson of UCLA, Angie Woznuk of the University of Portland, Joanna Haig of the University of Louisville, Kelsey Carpenter of the University of Texas and Courtney Hooker of the University of California, Berkeley.

Earlier this year, Lowe's announced the addition of women's soccer and men's soccer to the award program, bringing the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award to a total of eight NCAA sports. The award was originally launched in 2001 with basketball. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award has grown into the nation's premier tribute to college seniors.

The award identifies personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete, with criteria including excellence in the classroom, character and community, as well as competition in sports.

Sportscaster Dick Enberg, Honorary Chairman of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, first conceived the idea of an award for seniors in 2001 in response to the growing trend of men's basketball players leaving school early for the NBA.

Lowe's has expanded the Senior CLASS Award program this year to include NCAA Division I men's hockey, men's lacrosse, baseball and softball in addition to men's and women's basketball and now men's and women's soccer. The winner in each sport is announced at the respective NCAA Championship events.

"Recognizing the many achievements of student-athletes is a goal the NCAA proudly shares with our corporate partner Lowe's," said Greg Shaheen, NCAA Senior Vice President for Basketball and Business Strategies. "The Lowe's Senior CLASS Award places a spotlight on the quality attributes of our future student-athlete graduates. The NCAA is proud to honor student-athlete leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to excel on the field of competition while they earn their degrees. "