OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Belmont senior Jack Shaw and Mercer redshirt senior Leo Toledo Jr. were named candidates for the Senior CLASS Award, the committee announced Wednesday. The pair of midfielders are the only two representatives from the Southern Conference men’s and women’s soccer teams.   
 
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. The complete list of candidates follows this release.
 
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. 
 
Each of the 60 candidates has displayed a strong work ethic in the classroom and on the pitch. Outside of academics and athletics, all candidates have also been consistently involved in community service on their campus or in their communities.
 
Each of the two candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists in April, 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 exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character, and competition. For more information on all the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
 
Shaw, a sport administration major, boasts a 3.90 GPA at Belmont. During his first year on campus in 2019-20, he earned SoCon Academic Honor Roll, the SoCon Commissioner’s Medal, and other awards for carrying a 4.0 GPA.
 
For the last year, Shaw has interned with Nashville SC’s scouting department, helping identify and vet potential player prospects. His career interests include working in the sports industry, either as a team executive or sports agent.
 
View Shaw’s full profile here.
 
Toledo Jr. has worked equally as hard on the pitch and in the classroom. He is currently pursuing his third degree from Mercer, a master's in higher education leadership, after earning an undergraduate degree in marketing in December 2019 with a 3.66 GPA. Toledo continued his academic career by earning his Master of Business Administration with a 3.60 GPA last December.
 
He has been a member of the Dean’s List every semester and has garnered three Academic All-Southern Conference Team selections. Additionally, Toledo was named to the Scholar All-South Region Team by the United Soccer Coaches in 2019. 
 
Following his playing career, Toledo intends to pursue a career in finance.
 
View Toledo Jr.’s full profile here.
 
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2021 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Cup^® championships in May.