The University of Akron Athletics
Ampaipitakwong Named Winner of Lowes' Senior CLASS Award
December 11 | Men's Soccer
- University of Akron midfielder Anthony
Ampaipitakwong, who has led the Zips to the College Cup for the
second consecutive year, has been selected as the 2010 Lowe's
Senior CLASS Award winner for men's soccer. He is the first player
in school history to earn the prestigious award in any sport.
The announcement and trophy presentation were made Friday by
Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, during halftime
of the first of two national semifinal games between No. 1
Louisville and No. 4 North Carolina at Harder Stadium. As the No. 3
seed, UA will face No. 10 Michigan in the nightcap, starting at 11
p.m. (ET).
Accepting the award on Ampaipitakwong's behalf were his parents,
Pete and Denise, and his brother Adam.
"It is an honor to win the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. This would
not be possible without the support from the Akron community and
commitment from my teammates, coaches and university
administrators," Ampaipitakwong said. "I want to specifically thank
all the fans who voted for me and for the continued support from
the community that I have called home the last three and a half
years."
The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division I men's soccer
coaches, national soccer media and fans, is given annually to the
most outstanding senior student-athlete in NCAA Division I men's
soccer. 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 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.
"What a tremendous honor for Anthony to receive this award. He is
the epitome of what a student-athlete should represent and has
proven to be a high achiever on and off the field," UA head coach
Caleb
Porter said. "He is an outstanding ambassador for The
University of Akron and has a bright future ahead of him."
Ampaipitakwong has a 3.4 grade point average in business
administration at Akron. He's also a regular in the Akron
community, working with Habitat for Humanity, spending days at
local elementary schools and volunteering time at a local shelter
for homeless women and children. He's also been a volunteer coach
for several soccer camps at Akron as well as at his high school in
Bradenton, Fla.
Ampaipitakwong is a two-time NSCAA All-American and led the Zips
to the NCAA championship game last year and the semifinals this
year. He is a four-time all-conference performer and a candidate
for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy, which recognizes the nation's top
player, for the second consecutive year.
"Anthony has been the model of consistency during his career at
Akron," said Tom Lamb, Lowe's senior vice president of marketing.
"He is a top performer in the classroom, on the field and in the
community."
