Lowe's Senior CLASS Awards Criteria In addition to the core requirement that the candidate be a NCAA Division 1 senior, the finalists and eventual winner will be selected based on personal qualities that define a complete student athlete. These areas of excellence are defined under the categories of Classroom, Character, Community and Competition. Classroom: academic achievements and successfully progressing in regards to earning a degree Character: attributes that define the candidate's personal character, including leadership skills, work ethic and integrity Community: involvement in community and charity activities, utilizing the candidate's status as a college athlete to make an impact in worthwhile causes Competition: achievements within the athlete's respective sport and their role in the success of the team Baseball 2009 Athletes: Adam Warren Ben Orloff Brandon McArthur Brian Cloud Grant Escue Jason Haniger Matt Nohelty Nate Freiman Nick Faunce Scott Bittle Adam Warren (University of North Carolina) Classroom A two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III Team member, Adam was also named to the 2008 All-ACC Academic Team. The Dean's List student is also a three-time member of ACC Academic Honor Roll and serves as the Academic Team Captain for the baseball team. Character Winner of the Three-Dimensional Leader Award from the Carolina Leadership Academy - the program's highest honor, Adam is one of the hardest workers on team and one of its most respected leaders. Community Adam is active in the community with his teammates in events such as hospital and school visits, as well as the "Share Your Holiday" program. He has also been a part of community outreach events at the College World Series for three straight years such as visits to the Omaha Children's Hospital and Boys Town. Competition The winningest pitcher in UNC history in terms of percentage (.917 with a 22-2 career record), Adam is also ranked second in ACC history. He is among Carolina's top 10 in career wins and enters 2009 as UNC's Saturday starter for the third straight season. In his career, Adam has been to three straight College World Series. Ben Orloff (University of California, Irvine) Classroom Ben is a model student and is currently doing 40 hours of field work at Culverdale Elementary, tutoring sixth-grade students and serving as a teacher's aide. It is not an observation course and student-interaction is critical. He is required to utilize outlined strategies in the classroom and complete typed reports as well as keep a journal of his experiences. His stories have been positive and his students look up to him, which is true in regards to all his interactions with people. Ben demonstrated his commitment to education when he turned down an opportunity to sign a professional contract with the Colorado Rockies to come back to UC Irvine and complete his degree. He is currently majoring in criminology, law and society. Character Ben is a natural leader and the team captain. He has been instrumental contributor to the program's advancement and success during his career at UCI. Last season, the program experienced some upheaval when undergoing a coaching change and Ben was key in keeping the team together while the administration sought a new coaching staff. Ben, who was a junior at the time, along with three other players, devised practice plans and implemented them when fall practices had begun so as not to lose opportunities in preparing for the upcoming season. The practices were structured, disciplined and as well-run as any I have seen conducted by any head coach. Also, a few student-athletes considered transferring to other institutions following the departure of the previous coaching staff, but Ben was among those that reminded the players that they were committed to one another and that it was important to stay together through difficult times. That team remained together and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals in 2008. Community During his time at UCI, Ben has been an exemplary representative of the university and the baseball program. His interactions with the community have all been extremely positive. He is a volunteer at his church and most recently participated in a community outreach event in where a handful of the athletes went to the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and spent the afternoon visiting with young children. When dealing with members of the media, Ben is well-spoken, thoughtful, humble and gracious. It is with complete confidence that Ben will always positively about the program and the university, whatever the nature of the question. Because of these qualities, Ben was selected to be one of three student-athletes to represent the UC Irvine Baseball program when it was honored at the annual Best LA Sports Moments awards ceremony last year. Competition In watching Ben's approach to baseball, he has an amazing work ethic and works at his game constantly. As a freshman, Ben became the starting shortstop midway through the season and never relinquished the role. He has not missed a start since and will carry a 167-game start streak into the 2009 season. He led the nation two consecutive years in sacrifice hits and with continued work in the batting cages, Ben went from a .217 batting average as a freshman to hitting well above .300 his last two years. Last season he finished second on the team, hitting .344. He was the team's starting shortstop in three NCAA Regionals, winning two (at Texas, at Nebraska), two Super Regionals (Wichita State, LSU) and one College World Series, (3rd-place finish). In addition to his superior talent on the field, he demonstrates the highest degree of character every day. He enjoys any competitive opportunity and is humble when he wins and gracious in defeat. He demonstrates the utmost respect for all of his teammates, opponents and the game itself. Ben is a team captain because he possesses the character and intangibles embedded in all great leaders and athletes. Brandon McArthur (University of Florida) Classroom McArthur is a sixth-year senior at Florida who is attending graduate school. He has earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll four-straight times and is one of only three players in school history have collected the academic honor multiple times. Character McArthur was a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Florida when he was severely injured in a random act of violence on Oct. 30, 2003. A stranger punched him, and McArthur hit his head on the pavement outside of a Gainesville nightspot. He had two brain operations within 24 hours after the attack and later had a third in May 2004 at Tampa General Hospital. He was in a drug-induced coma for five days, and doctors weren't sure if he would survive. McArthur went through an extensive rehabilitation process and returned to the Gator baseball program for the 2005 season after taking a medical redshirt in 2004. For everything McArthur has gone through on and off the baseball diamond, his competitive behavior and never-say-quit attitude are well-respected by the entire Gator community. He is a true leader in every sense of the word, someone who puts the team above any individual accomplishments or awards. While many people going through similar situations might have ended his or her career at the first sign of adversity, McArthur continues to set a positive example through his actions and commitment to the Florida baseball program and the University. His relationships with the coaching staff and teammates are solid and the respect they have for him cannot be measured in words since the coaches and players have the utmost respect for his willingness to sacrifice his body for them. While every student-athlete obviously wants to win every time they step on the playing field, McArthur understands that there are sometimes larger things at work in the big picture of our lives. Although people often say that winning or losing can be a "matter of life and death," he can take a different perspective knowing everything he has overcome to continue playing the sport he loves. Trying to describe his response to victory and defeat can be difficult since there are days when McArthur realizes that just competing with his teammates brings him more satisfaction than any result. His motivation to do the best he can and lead by example are traits which each individual should strive to emulate. In the long run, collegiate athletics can provide life lessons and McArthur's work ethic and attitude illustrate a clear understanding of teamwork and being a role model for everyone around him. Community McArthur recently received a President's Volunteer Service Award from President George W. Bush's Council on Service and Participation which recognizes McArthur's contributions to the Gainesville community and demonstrating values that "make our nation strong in helping to build a culture of citizenship, service and responsibility in America." President Bush wrote, "Your ability to overcome adversity is a testament to your character, and your compassionate efforts serve as an inspiration to others. You are making our Nation better and stronger, one person at a time." McArthur constantly lends his time and support to a variety of charitable causes. He was named to the 2008 SEC Baseball Community Service Team that highlights an athlete from each school who gives back to his community in superior service efforts. McArthur has been a representative on Florida's Student-Athlete Committee (SAC) and is a frequent speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings. He often visits the pediatric care unit at Shands Hospital (where he was a patient recovering from his life-threatening injuries) and has participated in wheel-chair basketball with Special Olympians.