May 30, 2007
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Newly commissioned second lieutenant Lindsey Gerheim, who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy Saturday morning with Vice President Dick Cheney in attendance, became the Army's first softball player to earn a national award with her selection to the All-Senior All-America Team in the inaugural Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for softball.
Gerheim, a Top 10 finalist who won the fan voting en route to finishing second overall in a nationwide vote of coaches, media and fans, was among five scholar-athletes chosen for first-team honors in Tuesday evening's announcement during the opening ceremonies of the NCAA Softball College World Series in Oklahoma City.
"It is very special with Lindsey being the first-ever to get on the ballot," commented head coach Jim Flowers. "To finish as high as she did is a tribute to her and her family and what all she stands for at West Point, both on and off the field as well as in the classroom. Congratulations goes to her, for she has had a great career as a cadet and as a student-athlete. We look for great things from her in the Army."
The initial concept of this special award for seniors was conceived by CBS sportscaster Dick Enberg and was launched in 2001 in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving college early to turn professional. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award has grown into the nation's premier tribute to college seniors, and this year the award was extended to include four other NCAA sports: baseball, softball, men's hockey and men's lacrosse.
The native of Alpharetta, Ga., was among the list of 20 semifinalists for the award that was narrowed down to 10 finalists by a national panel of coaches and media followed by a nationwide vote of coaches, media and fans to determine the first winner along with recognizing Lowe's All-Senior All-America Teams. The Army shortstop captured the majority of the fan voting, claiming 23 percent.
Arizona's Caitlin Lowe was selected as the first-ever recipient of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for softball, and joined Gerheim on the first team along with Northwestern's Garland Cooper, Missouri State's Katie Martin and Washington's Dominque Lastrapes. The award identifies personal qualities that define a complete student athlete, with criteria including excellence in the classroom, character and community, as well as competition in sports.
Gerheim distinguished herself in the classroom,on the diamond as well as the Corps of Cadets, earning four Superintendent's Gold Wreaths (overall excellence for combined excellence in academics, military and physical development), along with being a four-time Silver Star honoree (cumulative GPA at or above 3.0).
A team co-captain this spring, Gerheim excelled on the playing field where she left a mark on a sport that she has been playing since T-ball. In her final campaign, she batted .394, which ranks 70th nationally, collected 61 hits, including 11 doubles and seven home runs, drove in 30 runs and scored 24 runs in compiling a .613 slugging average.
Gerheim left her name in Army annals as well as the Patriot League where she was a four-time conference all-star at three different positions (designated player, outfield, shortstop past two years) and top rookie in 2004 along with picking up a pair of Mid-Atlantic Region honors (2004, 2005). The four-year starter is the Academy's all-time leader in home runs (20), games played (200) and at bats (584). She ranks second in hits (195), RBI (100) and total bases (300) and is among the Top 10 in doubles (33), runs scored (109), walks (45), triples (6) and bating average (.333). She also ranks ninth in the Patriot League's all-time ledger for hits and is tied for fifth in home runs.
A management major who graduated with a 3.55 grade point average, Gerheim has been on the Dean's List every semester, is a four-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection, an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and two-time CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-District First Team (2005, 2007) pick.
Gerheim is also a West Point Scholar Athlete Award winner and Team Outstanding Leader-Athlete Award recipient for combined excellence in academic. She was appointed the Cadet Advisor to Behavioral Science and Leadership Department's Leadership Management Board along with holding several high positions within the Corps of Cadets to include the Cadet First Sergeant for Cadet Company C-3 and Brigade Staff Commander. She was selected West Point's Patriot League representative for the student athlete advisory committee.
The first assignment for Gerheim, who chose the Military Police as her service branch, will be Ft. Campbell, Ky.
Senior All-America Teams
First Team
Caitlin Lowe (OT), Arizona
Lindsey Gerheim (IF), Army
Garland Cooper (1B), Northwestern
Katie Martin (OF), Missouri State
Dominque Lastrapes (2B), Washington
Second Team
Lindsay Schutzler (OF), Tennessee
Kate Sheaks (OF). DePaul
Kristina Hull (C/UT), Georgia Tech
Jamie Reiss (IF), Creighton
Stephanie Brown (OF), Notre Dame
