Feb. 15, 2012

Overland Park, Kans. - Fordham's Jen Mineau (Schaghticoke, New York/Hoosic Valley Central) was among thirty NCAA® softball student-athletes who excel both on and off the field that were selected as candidates for the 2012 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award it was announced today. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.

Mineau, who was named Preseason ESPN.com All-America as well as to the USA Softball Top 50 Watch List, enters her final year off a junior season filled with superlatives. The right-handed hurler tossed a pair of no-hitters, one of which was a perfect game, and set school marks in strikeouts and wins. Mineau earned a slew of accolades including being named a Preseason All American by ESPN, as well as First Team All A-10, NFCA All Mid-Atlantic First Team and the A-10 Scholar Athlete of the Year. Last year, Mineau compiled a 24-9 record with a 1.22 ERA and four saves. In 43 appearances, she threw 24 complete games with 15 shutouts. Over 224.2 innings Mineau allowed just 116 hits while striking out 300 and walking just 38 batters. Opponents managed to hit just .148 against the talented right-hander. Mineau led the Atlantic 10 in ERA and was ranked second in wins and strike outs in 2011. In national rankings, she was fifth in shutouts, sixth in hits allowed (3.61/seven innings), ninth in ERA, 14th in saves and 16th in the country in both strikeouts (9.3/seven innings) and walks allowed (1.18/seven innings). An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, will announce the Senior CLASS Award® winner during the 2012 NCAA Women's College World Series, which will be held May 31-June 6 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, Division I head coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.

Mineau and the Rams are set to open their 2012 season this weekend, as they travel to Greenville, North Carolina to face Virginia in the ECU Pirate Clash. The game with the Cavaliers begins at 9:00 AM on Friday, February 17.

Candidates: Valerie Arioto, Pitcher/First Base, California Gracie Barstad, Third Base, Western Michigan Emily Bledsoe, Infield, Texas Tech Katelyn Boyd, Shortstop, Arizona State Rachel Brown, Pitcher, Harvard Ashley Burnham, Shortstop, James Madison Molly Coldren, Infield, Central Michigan Kacee Cox, Catcher/First Base, St. John's (N.Y.) Mallory Duran-Sellers, Outfield, Southern Illinois Bree Evans, Outfield, Michigan Julie Fernandez, First Base, Lehigh Michelle Fuzzard, Pitcher/DP, Chattanooga Chelsea Garcia, Shortstop, Oklahoma State Molly Garst, Infield, Purdue Ashley Guile, Infield, Nebraska Ashley Hagemann, Pitcher, Nebraska Ashley Hansen, Shortstop, Stanford Shayla Jackson, Outfield, Florida State Natalie Land, Shortstop, Central Florida Brittany Mack, Pitcher, LSU Ashley McClain, Outfield/Pitcher, Florida International Jen Mineau, Pitcher, Fordham Adrienne Monka, First Base, Northwestern Michelle Moultrie, Centerfield, Florida Christi Orgeron, Utility, Louisiana Cassie Reilly-Boccia, Outfield/First Base, Alabama Stephanie Ricketts, Pitcher, Hawaii Rachel Riley, Pitcher/DP, Kentucky Liz Watkins, Catcher, Iowa Niki Williams, Utility, Washington