FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Cornell University midfielder Max Seibald, a four-time All-American who is an exemplary student and has donated countless hours to community service projects, has been selected as the winner of the 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in the men's lacrosse division.

The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of coaches, media, and fans, is presented annually to college lacrosse's outstanding NCAA Division I senior student-athlete. The announcement and trophy presentation were made today by Lowe's, an Official NCAA Corporate Partner, during the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championships in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award has grown into the nation's premier tribute to college seniors. The award identifies personal qualities that define a complete student-athlete, with criteria including excellence in the classroom, in character and community service, as well as in competition on the field.

"It's really exciting to win the Lowe's Senior Class Award, especially considering the outstanding group of great student-athletes who were nominated," Seibald said. "It's a group of guys who not only excel on the field, but in the classroom, have great character and are involved in the community. I think it speaks volumes about the coaching staff and my teammates, because they are the ones that showed me the way. Through the years, I just tried to follow in the path of the people who taught me what to do on the field and off the field, to not only be a good player, but to be a better person."

Seibald will leave Cornell as one of the greatest lacrosse players in school history. The 2009 USILA National Player of the Year and National Midfielder of the Year selection, Seibald is the first men's lacrosse player in Ivy League history to earn first-team All-Ivy honors four times during his career, with a unanimous first-team selection in each of his final three seasons. Just the third, four-time All-American in Cornell history, he has racked up 137 career points, the most ever by a Big Red midfielder. One of the most consistent players in the country, Seibald has tallied at least one point in 57 of his 60 career games.

While his lacrosse career at Cornell has gained Seibald headlines, it's his tireless work as a student and in the local community that has made him the nation's top choice for the 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. He will graduate from Cornell with a Bachelor of Arts degree in applied economics and management and holds a cumulative grade point average of 3.22, while consistently taking some of the hardest classes in his major.

Seibald is involved in many community service projects, typically taking up the leadership mantel, and he often recruits his teammates to participate and inspires them to give their time as well. The projects he is involved with encompass a variety of events and fundraisers, including Save the Day, The 21 Run, Big Red Readers, Daffodil Days, and Sphinx Head Honor Society. As an example of the "giving back" attitude he displays, Seibald has taken the lead in the "Save the Day" program, serving as co-coordinator the past two years. The program is a joint effort between the Cornell men's lacrosse team and the Dream Factory of Central, N.Y., to raise money to grant the wishes of chronically and critically ill children.

"It's been an honor to have coached Max Seibald over the last four years," said Jeff Tambroni, head men's lacrosse coach at Cornell. "I feel that it is very symbolic that he finishes his career as this year's Lowe's Senior Class Award winner. For the past four years, Max has performed at such a high and consistent level on the playing field. However, it is his accomplishments in the classroom, in the Ithaca community, and in our locker room, the contributions that most people haven't seen, that will define Max as a young man. Winning this award is obviously an amazing honor for Max and our program. Our staff could not be more proud of his contributions and accomplishments throughout his career."

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2009-05-23