Sweat a Candidate for Senior CLASS Award

Ashley Sweat added another national preseason honor to her resume on Wednesday.

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State senior forward Ashley Sweat earned her second preseason national honor on Wednesday as she was named a candidate for the 2009-10 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Sweat is one of 30 NCAA Division I women's basketball players selected to the candidates list, including four players from the Big 12 Conference. For a complete list of candidates, please visit www.seniorclassaward.com.

Sweat, a 2009-10 preseason Wooden Award candidate, enters her senior year with the opportunity to climb the ranks of the Kansas State career scoring and rebounding lists. The product of McPherson, Kan., has tallied 1,291 points in her career to rank 15^th and hauled in 441 rebounds to rank 28^th.

Following a 2009 season, which saw Sweat average a career-high 16.5 points per game and 5.1 rebounds, she was recognized by the league's coaches with her first career All-Big 12 first team honor. She also garnered All-Big 12 second team honors from the Dallas Morning News.

Sweat has also been exceptional in the classroom, earning CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District VII second team honors in 2008-09 and is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 first team selection.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the 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 and complete college education brings.

From each of the two lists of 30 nominees, a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award midway through the regular season. Those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote. In addition to voting by Division I head basketball coaches and national media, college basketball fans will also be able to submit ballots by text voting or on-line at www.seniorclassaward.com.

The Wildcats have had three finalists in the history of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, as Nicole Ohlde (2004), Kendra Wecker (2005) and Shalee Lehning (2009) were recognized by the organization. Wecker was recognized with the national award, while Ohlde and Lehning were named to the senior All-American team.

K-State will play its final exhibition game on Monday, as the Wildcats host Pittsburg State at 7 p.m. K-State opens the 2009-10 regular season on Saturday, Nov. 14 against Indiana State at 5 p.m.