Gator Country

Michelle Moultrie is the fourth Gators senior in a row to be named a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. / Gator Country photo by Mike Capshaw

Florida senior All-American centerfielder Michelle Moultrie (Jacksonville, Fla.) was named as one of 10 finalists for the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Wednesday afternoon. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.

Fan voting for the award is open through May 14 and Gator fans are encouraged to vote once each day. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I softball head coaches’ votes to determine the winner. VOTE FOR MICHELLE HERE!

For the fourth-consecutive year, Florida softball has had a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award finalist after hurler Stacey Nelson won the award in 2009, followed by 2010 top-10 finalist, Gator outfielder Francesca Enea. Senior pitcher Stephanie Brombacher was a top-10 finalist last season and Moultrie makes it four-straight years representing the Orange and Blue.

Last week’s USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week and the SEC Player of the Week, Moultrie is a true leader for the Gators, both on and off the field. The former Gator walk-on was named the 2011 WCWS co-Most Outstanding Player and was both a 2011 Capital One Academic All-American, along with earning NFCA/Louisville Slugger All-America honors.

A business administration major with a specialization in sports management, Moultrie has helped the No.6 Gator softball team to a 32-4 overall record mid-way through the 2012 campaign. She’s swiped a team-high 17 bases, owns a team-leading 47 hits, 44 runs, .769 slugging percentage, .534 on-base percentage and is error-free on the season so far. Moultrie additionally leads the Southeastern Conference in batting clip, runs scored, total bases and triples entering this week’s league action.

A two-time All-SEC selection and SEC All-Defensive Team pick, Moultrie has won two Gold Medals as a member of Team USA at the World Cup of Softball and the Pan American Games, both in the summer/fall of 2011. Moultrie earned WCWS co-MOP honors after leading all tourney participants in hits, doubles, homers, total bases and stolen bases, while matching WCWS records with four homers and 13 hits. She eclipsed Florida single-season records for batting clip, on-base percentage, hits, triples, stolen bases and attempts in 2011 and has the second-longest hit streak in UF history, a 19-game strand last year.

2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award Softball Finalists

Valerie Arioto, Pitcher/First Base, California
Katelyn Boyd, Shortstop, Arizona State
Mallory Duran-Sellers, Outfield, Southern Illinois
Julie Fernandez, First Base, Lehigh
Ashley Hansen, Shortstop, Stanford
Michelle Moultrie, Centerfield, Florida
Christi Orgeron, Utility, Louisiana
Cassie Reilly-Boccia, Outfield/First Base, Alabama
Stephanie Ricketts, Pitcher, Hawaii
Niki Williams, Utility, Washington

*Courtesy UF Communications

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