Oct. 27, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) is a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award and the Nittany Lion faithful can help the All-America candidate win the prestigious honor by voting every day until Nov. 13.
Fans can vote for Yeisley by text messaging M9 to 74567 AND online at www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/mens_soccer_2009/. Every vote is critical as fan balloting counts for 1/3 of the total with the remaining 2/3 determined by NCAA Division I coaches and national media members.
Yeisley has moved up from fourth to second place in recent weeks and is currently garnering more than 17% of the vote. However, he remains approximately 10% behind the leader, so it is not only important that Penn Staters cast their ballot for Yeisley on a daily basis for the next week but pass along word to friends, family, and colleagues to vote.
Yeisley is in the midst of stellar senior season, leading Penn State to a 9-4-2 record, the program's best mark at this point of the season since 2005. He tops the team in goals (8) and points (20) and second in game winning goals with three and assists with four. In early September, Yeisley was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and to the Soccer America Team of the Week for scoring three goals and tallying one assist through the first three games of the 2009 campaign. He was also recognized on the all-tournament teams for the Wolstein and Penn State Classics. Most recently, Yeisley was honored on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week (Oct. 4) for his contributions in wins over Penn and Michigan State.
A two-time All-Big Ten selection, Yeisley is Penn State's leading active scorer, totaling 24 goals and 15 assists (63 points) in 56 career games. A three-time team captain, he has overcome two serious knee injuries to return for his senior season. In recognition of his will to triumph over adversity, Yeisley was presented with the True Grit Award at the 2009 Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board Academic Achievement Awards Banquet.
In the classroom, Yeisley boasts a 3.61 cumulative grade point average and will graduate with a degree in management from the Smeal College of Business in December. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team selection, he intends to attend dental school after graduation.
With the same determination he has employed in pursuit of excellence in the classroom and on the soccer field, Yeisley has sought to help and raise awareness for a special friend with a very rare disease. He has devoted his time and energy to aid in finding a cure for nine-year old Adam Recke, a boy from his hometown who suffers from Niemann Pick Type C (NP-C), a terminal illness which affects just 500 people worldwide.
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. It recognizes student-athletes who excel on and off the field, weighing notable achievements in four areas of excellence - classroom, character, community, and competition.
Lowe's will announce the Senior CLASS Award winners during the 2009 NCAA Men's College Cup championship in early December.