Cunningham, Morgan Selected as Senior CLASS Award Candidates
10/2/2019 12:21:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Rice Volleyball's Lee Ann Cunningham and Grace Morgan have been named as two of 30 NCAA Women's Volleyball Senior CLASS Award candidates, the organization announced on Wednesday. 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.
Rice Volleyball is one of just two NCAA programs to have two or more student-athletes recognized as Senior CLASS Award candidates, joining Stanford (4).
Cunningham ranks second in Rice history in both career digs (1,899) and digs per set (4.62) and currently ranks 42nd in the nation this season in digs per set (4.78). The Louisville, Ky. native has helped guide the Owls to a 13-1, 2-0 record and the program's first-ever Top-25 ranking at No. 21. In the classroom, Cunningham was a 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and has been named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll three straight years. Rice's 2018 C-USA Fall Spirit of Service Award Winner, Cunningham has spent countless hours lending a helping hand in the community, volunteering at West University Baptist Church ESL (Houston), Houston Food Bank, Hurricane Harvey clean-up, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, SAAC, PAIR Houston (after-school program for first-generation kids who need help with homework and learning English), and The Forge (after-school program for kids in lower socioeconomic areas of Houston).
Morgan, from Crowley, La., is Rice Volleyball's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.350) and a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. She currently ranks sixth in C-USA in both blocks per set (1.09) and hitting percentage (.341). Last season Morgan was named to the AVCA Southwest Region Team and C-USA First Team. Morgan's community service involvement includes Rice Volleyball Post Match Clinic, Main Street Ministries, Rice Volleyball MLK Camp, Night Out with Owls FCA, WAAB Golf Tournament, Houston Food Bank and Team Harvey clean-up.
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.
Rice Volleyball is one of just two NCAA programs to have two or more student-athletes recognized as Senior CLASS Award candidates, joining Stanford (4).
Cunningham ranks second in Rice history in both career digs (1,899) and digs per set (4.62) and currently ranks 42nd in the nation this season in digs per set (4.78). The Louisville, Ky. native has helped guide the Owls to a 13-1, 2-0 record and the program's first-ever Top-25 ranking at No. 21. In the classroom, Cunningham was a 2018 CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and has been named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll three straight years. Rice's 2018 C-USA Fall Spirit of Service Award Winner, Cunningham has spent countless hours lending a helping hand in the community, volunteering at West University Baptist Church ESL (Houston), Houston Food Bank, Hurricane Harvey clean-up, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, SAAC, PAIR Houston (after-school program for first-generation kids who need help with homework and learning English), and The Forge (after-school program for kids in lower socioeconomic areas of Houston).
Morgan, from Crowley, La., is Rice Volleyball's all-time leader in hitting percentage (.350) and a three-time member of the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. She currently ranks sixth in C-USA in both blocks per set (1.09) and hitting percentage (.341). Last season Morgan was named to the AVCA Southwest Region Team and C-USA First Team. Morgan's community service involvement includes Rice Volleyball Post Match Clinic, Main Street Ministries, Rice Volleyball MLK Camp, Night Out with Owls FCA, WAAB Golf Tournament, Houston Food Bank and Team Harvey clean-up.
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 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, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December.
For more information on all the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
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