Feb. 4, 2009

KANSAS CITY, MO. - - Belmont University men's basketball senior Andy Wicke (Hendersonville, Tenn.) has been selected as one of 10 finalists for the 2008-09 Lowe's Senior Class Award for men's basketball.

One of only seven players in all of college basketball this season with the opportunity to earn a fourth consecutive automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, Wicke has been a leader on and off the court for the Bruin program.

The 6-2 guard is on pace to finish his career as the fourth leading scorer in the Bruins' NCAA era. Moreover, with 269 career three-point field goals, Wicke is threatening to become the Atlantic Sun Conference's career leader in makes from behind the arc.

Wicke's passion, intensity and consistency on both ends of the floor is a major reason why Belmont continues to be a force at the mid major level.

"At Belmont, we have been fortunate to have some quality student athletes over the past several years, and Andy Wicke is as good a representative of our basketball program as any in my coaching tenure," Belmont head coach Rick Byrd said. "Andy excels on the floor, in the classroom and in the community and being a top 10 finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class award is a fitting tribute to his career."

Through games of Feb 1, Wicke leads the Atlantic Sun and stands 17th in the NCAA in steals per game (2.52). He leads the league in three-point field goals per game and ranks in the Top 15 in eight statistical categories.

Wicke - a 2006 Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team member and 2007 Atlantic Sun All-Tournament Team honoree - also scored 14 points in Belmont's near-upset of three-time National Champion Duke in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

But, the Hendersonville, Tenn. native's accomplishments are far reaching. A perennial member of the Atlantic Sun Academic All-Conference team and 2009 Academic All-District honoree, Wicke is on schedule to graduate with honors in environmental studies this coming May before pursuing dental school.

Wicke's outgoing nature and giving spirit has also manifested in countless on-campus and community outreach efforts. Among them, Wicke has been a part of Belmont Athletics' sports evangelism mission trips to Ukraine, Venezuela and Brazil whereby student-athletes share basketball and their personal faith with thousands of underprivileged locals. He plans to accompany trip leader Betty Wiseman on the 2009 mission trip to South Africa.

Wicke is an active member of Belmont's chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), where students, faculty, and area business leaders join forces with the sole goal of bettering the lives of others. For his part, Wicke tutors high school aged minority students in mathematics to bolster their college entrance exam scores and eventual prospects.

Another SIFE community service project had Wicke working with leaders in East Nashville to plant and harvest fresh fruits and vegetables in an otherwise underutilized field. The field serves as a self-sustaining source of healthy food for area residents.

Wicke also volunteered his time and talents at Harris-Hillman School in Nashville - a school for children with special needs. He assisted school administrators in sprucing up Harris-Hillman's `Sensory Garden', an invaluable space for children with cerebral palsy.

The Lowe's Senior Class Award list of finalists is an impressive collection of talented student-athletes from preeminent universities: Wicke stands with A.J. Abrams of Texas, Jimmy Baron of Rhode Island, Dionte Christmas of Temple, Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina, Lester Hudson of UT-Martin, Curtis Jerrells of Baylor, Jerel McNeal of Marquette, Terrence Williams of Louisville and Sam Young of Pittsburgh.

Wicke is the first student-athlete - of either gender and in any sport - from the Atlantic Sun Conference to be named a finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award. The Lowe's Senior Class Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: classroom, community, character, and competition.

These 10 finalists will be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote beginning Feb. 4 and concluding Mar. 22. Votes from coaches and media will be coupled with fan balloting to determine the recipient of the award.

Fans can vote online during this time period at www.seniorclassaward.com.

For the first time in the basketball division, text voting will also be available during the voting period. To vote via text, fans can send the text code corresponding with the student-athlete of your choice to 839863.

The award was conceived by legendary sportscaster Dick Enberg, who continues to serve as Honorary Chairman.

This announcement launches a nationwide balloting process to determine the 2009 award winner in Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA will announce and present the men's basketball winner with the distinctive Lowe's Senior CLASS Award trophy in front of a national television audience during the CBS telecast of the NCAA Men's Final Four® in Detroit.

2008 SEC Player of the Year and Vanderbilt standout Shan Foster won the award last year.

Vote for Andy Here!