Jan. 25, 2012

Click here to vote for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award

STANFORD, Calif. - Senior forward and two-time All-American Nnemkadi Ogwumike was named one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Wednesday.

Ogwumike, who leads the Pac-12 in scoring (22.9 ppg) and rebounding (11.2 rpg), joins Denise Beliveau (New Hampshire), Brittany Carter (Memphis), Lauren Edwards (Princeton), Amanda Johnson (Oregon), Emilie Johnson (UC Santa Barbara), Michelle Kurowski (UMBC), Natalie Novosel (Notre Dame), Justine Raterman (Dayton) and Brittany Rayburn (Purdue) on the roll call of finalists.

Fans can vote beginning Jan. 25 through March 18 by visiting www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/womens_basketball_2011-12. Fans can vote once a day through March 18.

Ogwumike has put together a career year so far in 2011-12, as her scoring and rebounding totals, in addition to leading the Pac-12, respectively rank fifth and eighth nationally. Her 56.5 shooting percentage ranks fifth in the conference and 11th nationally.

Nneka's extraordinary start to the season has led Stanford to a 17-1 overall mark and No. 4 ranking in the national polls through the team's most recent game on Jan. 21. The Cardinal is currently on pace to capture its 12th straight conference title, leading the Pac-12 by two games with an 8-0 mark heading into this Saturday's home contest against second-place California.

On the year, Ogwumike has notched 11 double-doubles, among the best in the nation, and has scored at least 20 points in 10 of her 17 games. She has scored at least 30 points on five occasions, highlighted by a career-best 42-point, 17-rebound effort in Stanford's nationally-televised 97-80 victory over then-No. 6 Tennessee on Dec. 20.

Individually, Ogwumike has continued her climb up the Stanford record books. Heading into Saturday's game against California, Nneka is fifth all-time on Stanford's career scoring list with 2,072 points, just five back of the No. 4 spot held by Val Whiting (2,077). Ogwumike already holds the top career shooting percentage in Stanford history (59.4) while her total of 1,048 career rebounds is good for fifth.

On Jan. 7, Ogwumike reached another career milestone, becoming just the fourth player in Stanford history to join the exclusive "2,000-Point/1,000-Rebound" Club, joining Whiting, Jayne Appel and Nicole Powell. Ogwumike achieved each milestone (2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds) on that same day in Stanford's 67-60 win over Oregon State.

The Cypress, Texas native, a consensus preseason All-American in 2011-12, has lived up to the billing, capturing three Pac-12 Player of the Week honors so far in addition to being named USBWA Player of the Week on Dec. 26 following her career-best effort against Tennessee.

Ogwumike and the Cardinal take on California Saturday at 2 p.m. at Maples Pavilion, as Stanford puts both its 73-game home winning streak and its 65-game conference winning streak on the line against the Golden Bears.