Feb. 10, 2010
2010 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Candidate Release (PDF Format) 
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern seniors Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) and Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) have been named candidates for the 2010 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, which honors senior student-athletes who excel in the classroom, the community, in character and in competition.
Northwestern is the only school with multiple representatives on the 30-person candidate list for the 2010 award. The Wildcats have a rich tradition with the softball version of the honor, which began in 2007. Garland Cooper (2007) and Tammy Williams (2009) both were named top-10 finalists for the award, eventually earning Lowe's All-Senior All-America first team selections.
Delaney is a member of the 2010 USA Softball Player of the Year Award watch list, her second-straight season on the radar of the honor. The 2008 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, Delaney is on pace to shatter several Northwestern career pitching records, many of which have stood since the mid 1980's. She boasts a career record of 85-25.
Delaney is a civil engineering major who has completed several internships in the field, hoping to forge a career in designing transportation systems that optimize all modes of travel. In the classroom, Delaney has worked with an MS patient to design "house gliders" to facilitate better mobility in the home; her group won the communication award among all engineering classes during the quarter for that project. She also worked to design a "Lock 'n Go," a hands free device for better accessibility and sanitation in the operation of bathroom doors.
In the community, Delaney is active in a reading program for local pre-schoolers as well as volunteering to teach the importance of physical education at local elementary schools. She has spent a lot of time working with Girls in the Game, a Chicago organization that provides and promotes sports & fitness opportunities, nutrition & health education, and leadership development to enhance the overall health and well-being of all girls.
Pauly is a three-time All-Big Ten honoree who was selected to the 2008 USA Softball Player of the Year Award watch list following her Big Ten Freshman of the Year campaign in 2007. She already ranks in the top-10 all time in five different offensive categories for the 'Cats while starting at second base in all 167 of NU's games in the last three years.
Pauly has volunteered with the Girls in the Game and PlayBall USA within her athletic world. Outside of the diamond, Pauly is active in tutoring minority students in an after-school program in Chicago, creating a history curriculum for students at a Chicago Public School and has volunteered at multiple local elementary school fundraisers such as dance parties and outdoor carnivals.
In the classroom, Pauly is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient as a human development and psychological services major. She already has been accepted into graduate school following the completion of her career at Northwestern.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in SchoolTM, 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.
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 finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of classroom, character, community and competition.
To view the complete list of 2010 candidates, link to Seniorclassaward.com.