Dec. 8, 2007

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Senior forward Ella Masar was named to the Lowe's All-Senior All-America first team, as announced Friday by the NCAA. Portland defender Stephanie Lopez was honored as the first-ever recipient of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, recognizing seniors who encompass the qualities that define a student-athlete, with criteria including excellence in the classroom, character and community, as well as competition in sports.

Masar was the only Big Ten representative among the 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. A team captain during the 2007 campaign, Masar exemplifies the qualities of a Lowe's award candidate throughout her career, volunteering at local schools and dedicating her time to the Urbana Youth Soccer program. On the field, the Urbana, Ill., native finished her senior season with a career-high 12 goals and a team-leading 27 points.

Along with Masar and Lopez, Rachel Buehler (Stanford), Jessica Maxwell (North Carolina) and Lindsey Ozimek (Charlotte) also earned first-team recognition.

Lowe's All-America First Team
Stephanie Lopez, Portland
Rachel Buehler, Stanford
Jessica Maxwell, North Carolina
Lindsey Ozimek, Charlotte
Ella Masar, Illinois

Lowe's All-America Second Team
Valerie Henderson, UCLA
Angie Woznuk, Portland
Joanna Haig, Louisville
Kelsey Carpenter, Texas
Courtney Hooker, California