Sept. 24, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - While her prowess in net has helped her receive numerous honors during her career, senior Jennifer Manis (Pensacola, Fla.) added a very prestigious accolade to her resume Monday. The UCF women's soccer goalkeeper was named as one of 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, "the nation's premier award for NCAA senior student-athletes".
Manis, who transferred to UCF after her freshman season with Middle Tennessee State, has guided the Knights to a 4-2-2 record in 2007 while facing a very difficult schedule. She already has 41 saves on the year and has played every minute in net for the Black and Gold. For her career, Manis has 12 shutouts and 212 saves.
But it is her actions off the field that helped her get recognized as one of the 20 top candidates. Manis and her roommate started Recycled Reading, a non-profit organization whose goal is to provide reading material to children and raise the reading level and literacy of the children of Orlando. Through individual donations and by conducting garage and yard sales, Manis redistributes new and used children's books to areas where children spend time, such as waiting areas at doctors' offices, churches and recreational centers. Additional service projects also include participating in a basketball clinic and raffle for "Nothin But Nets" to raise money to purchase mosquito nets and spread awareness of malaria in Africa.
In the classroom, Manis has a 3.75 grade-point average with a major in biology and a minor in coaching. She represented UCF on the Conference USA All-Academic Team in 2006, and was a member of the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll from 2005-06.
From the list of candidates, a national media committee will select 10 finalists in October for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Those names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning Oct. 16 and concluding Nov. 21. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches, media and sponsors to determine the recipient of the award. The winner will be announced during the NCAA Soccer Championships, scheduled on Dec. 7-9 in College Station, Texas.
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 2005 sales of $43.2 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc., is a FORTUNE 50 company that serves approximately 12 million customers a week at more than 1,360 home improvement stores in 49 states. Based in Mooresville, N.C., the 60-year old company is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit www.Lowes.com.
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