OSU Goalkeeper A Finalist For Senior CLASS Award

Oklahoma State's AD Franch is one of 10 finalists for the 2012 Senior CLASS Award for women's soccer.

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. Franch is the third OSU women's soccer player to be named a Senior CLASS Award finalist, joining Yolanda Odenyo (2008) and Krista Lopez (2011).

A two-time All-American and three-time All-Big 12 First Team performer, Franch has rewritten the OSU record book during her time in Stillwater. Her 38 career shutouts lead the Cowgirls and are tied for sixth all time in NCAA history, and with 313 career saves, she needs just 24 to break the school mark in that category. Franch sports a 0.65 career goals against average and has led the Big 12 Conference in shutouts in each of her first three seasons while ranking second in the league in that category this season.

A native of Salina, Kan., Franch has been a strong performer in the classroom and helped the OSU program earn NSCAA Team Academic Awards in each of the last three years. A studio art major, she was an Academic All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2011 and has twice been named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll. She has also appeared on the OSU Dean's Honor Roll. 

A team captain for the Cowgirls this season, Franch has been a starter since arriving on campus, despite coming in as a freshman still recovering from a major knee injury. With her valuable leadership, OSU has enjoyed the most successful run in program history as the Cowgirls have won three conference titles, made back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament and maintained a status among the top 10 in the national rankings.

Franch has made a positive impact in the community during her time in Stillwater. She has served with Holiday Heroes, a Christmastime event that involves working with foster children at a local church, and has also volunteered for Celebration Stillwater, where she serves underprivileged persons in Payne County. Additionally, she has served as a coach at the SoccerPlus Goalkeeper School.

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.

The 2012 award finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to determine the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website: http://www.seniorclassaward.com/ through November 19. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The 2012 award winner will be announced during the NCAA Women's College Cup in December.