OVERLAND PARKS, Kan. – College of Charleston midfielder Sarah Schaidle was named one of 30 national candidates for the 2012 Senior CLASS Award in women’s soccer.

With CofC senior Shawn Ferguson earning a spot on the men’s list, College of Charleston is one of just three programs nationally with student-athletes on both lists, joining soccer national powers North Carolina and Duke.

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.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the 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.

Schaidle and Ferguson were both among the student-athletes nominated who maintain a better-than 3.5 grade point average, and both do so in the ever-challenging fields of biology and chemistry.

Schaidle, a midfielder from Simpsonville, S.C., provided an extremely impactful junior campaign last season which earned her numerous accolades and recognitions including a share of the Cougars’ Most Valuable Player award. Schaidle was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Women’s College Scholar All-America Team for excellence on the field and in the classroom and was also included on the NSCAA Women’s Division I All-Southeast Team.

Schaidle was named a first-team all-SoCon selection in 2011 after appearing in all 22 matches for the Cougars and averaging over 85 minutes per game. Schaidle netted seven goals on the 2011 season, including three game-winners, and added three assists. Schaidle has now registered 17 goals and six assists in her career.

Each of the 30 candidate classes 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, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplify excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.

The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2012 NCAA Women’s College Cup, which will take place November 30 and December 2 in San Diego.

For more information, visit www.seniorCLASSaward.com.

Women’s Soccer 2012 Candidates
Name                                        Position                            School