Oct. 16, 2013
Vote for Hayes | The Senior Class Award on Facebook
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Ten female student-athletes, including Penn State senior Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.), have been selected as finalists for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate soccer, announced Wednesday afternoon. Hayes is the first PSU women's soccer student-athlete in the seven-year history of the award to be named a finalist.
The Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award is presented yearly to a Division I senior student-athlete who has notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.
Penn State fans can vote for Hayes at the Senior Class Award website. Fans can vote DAILY for their top three choices and are encouraged to vote often as fan voting is a key factor in determining the winner of the award.
Hayes leads the Nittany Lions and the Big Ten and is tied for fifth in the nation in points this season with 31 through 14 matches. The forward is also second in the league and tied for sixth in the country in goals (13) and has notched five assists.
A two-time NSCAA first team All-America selection, Hayes was second on the team in goals (16) and points (38) in 2012 despite missing the first seven games while participating in the U20 World Cup with the U.S. U20 Women's National Team. She led the nation in scoring in her sophomore season, registering 31 goals and eight assists for a Big Ten-record 70 points.
A kinesiology major, Hayes has received several academic awards during her time as a Nittany Lion. She was a 2011 CoSIDA/Captial One third-team Academic All-America selection and CoSIDA/Capital One first team All-District selection. Hayes was included on the Dean's List for the spring 2013 semester and was inducted into Penn State's Athletic Honor Society, Spiritus Leoninus. She is also a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
The finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 men's candidates and 30 women's candidates announced in August. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through November 25. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2013 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup championships in December.