Izzy Rodriguez is a Finalist for Senior CLASS Award
10/29/2021 12:06:43 PM | Women's Soccer
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State’s senior defender Izzy Rodriguez has been named one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to the student-athlete who displays a strong work ethic in the classroom and on the pitch.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior or graduate-student and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character, and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the 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.
From a list of 30 candidates that was announced earlier this month, 10 finalists were selected.
Rodriguez has played in 17 pf the 18 matches this season and has been on the pitch for every minutes of each of the last 15 matches. She has two goals this season, both coming off wonderful set-pieces. She scored an Olympico against UCF, bending in a left-footed corner kick in the Buckeyes’ 4-2 victory. She then had a beautiful strike off a free kick at Penn State, providing the only goal in the Buckeyes’ 1-0 win in State College. Rodriguez has been part of the team’s three shutouts this season.
The two-time team captain was named to the MAC Hermann Award Watch List at the start of this season and is a three-time All-Big Ten honoree.
Off the pitch, Rodriguez has been great in the classroom and active in the community. She is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar which is awarded each year to student-athletes with a 3.7 GPA or higher. She was also a United Soccer Coaches First Team All-American Scholar last year.
In the community, Rodriguez has participated in the Buckeye’s Go International program, Fisher Impact Day, Brutus Buddies Trick or Treat, the 2nd & 7 Foundation Literacy Outreach Program, BuckeyeThon and made blankets for children in the hospital during Childhood Cancer Awareness.
From the list of 30 candidates which was announced earlier this month, 10 finalists have been placed on the official ballot. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through Nov. 22. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character, and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2021 NCAA Women’s College Cup® championships in December.
2021 Senior CLASS Award Women’s Soccer Finalists
Joelle Anderson, Pepperdine
Penelope Hocking, USC
Gabby Carle, Florida State
Izzy Rodriguez, Ohio State
Mikayla Colohan, BYU
Gaby Schwartz, Milwaukee
Naomi Girma, Stanford
Frankie Tagliaferri, Rutgers
Sydney Harwood, Manhattan
Kelsey Turnbow Santa Clara
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