Toledo fifth-year senior Naama Shafir has been selected as one of 30 NCAA women’s basketball student-athletes for the 2012-13 Senior CLASS Award.
Shafir
Shafir has earned this prestigious honor for a second consecutive preseason. Last year, she was announced as a candidate before suffering a season-ending right knee injury at Indiana Nov. 25.
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.
On the court, the 2012-13 MAC Player of the Year candidate has appeared in the starting lineup in all 106 games of her collegiate career. The three-time all-league selection sits fourth in Toledo annals in career assists (569), fifth in free throws made (441), eighth in scoring average (13.7 points per game) and free-throw percentage (76.8 percent, 441 of 574), and 10th in points (1,452), steals (168) and minutes played (3,210). The four-time All-MAC West Division Preseason recipient has scored in double figures on 76 occasions in career, including three double-doubles. She also has dished out at least six assists 44 times while wearing the midnight blue and gold.
In the classroom, Shafir is a two-time Academic All-MAC honoree and a member of the UT dean’s list on five occasions, including a perfect 4.0 GPA in spring 2012. She possesses a 3.581 grade-point average in business.
In the community, Shafir and the Rockets have been involved in several projects, including the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Ovarian Cancer Walk, Habitat for Humanity, youth clinics and camps, Wendy’s Little Dribblers, and sponsoring a family for Christmas.
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.
The 2012-13 candidate classes include seven student-athletes who were recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) as 2012 Capital One Academic All-Americans. Ten candidates also were Associated Press All-Americans, and 18 players have cumulative GPAs above 3.0.
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Final Four® in New Orleans on April 7 and 9.
The candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 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 finalist who best exemplifies excellence in community, classroom, character and competition.
