Ebangwese Named Finalist for Senior CLASS Award
10/25/2018 3:30:00 PM | Volleyball
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Syracuse University volleyball standout Santita Ebangwese is a top-10 finalist for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award. Ebangwese, the only finalist from the ACC, was chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced earlier this season.
Nationwide fan voting begins immediately, and fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through Dec. 5. Fan votes will then be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award recipient will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December.
The nine other finalists are: Tami Alade (Stanford), Ali Bastianelli (Illinois), Lauren Bruns (Dayton), Mikaela Foecke (Nebraska), Taryn Kloth (Creighton), Haley Libs (Northern Kentucky), Courtney Pence (Illinois State), Jordyn Poulter (Illinois), Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnesota).
This season, Ebangwese leads the ACC and ranks 11th nationally with a .413 hitting percentage. She has been a critical part of the Syracuse defense that ranks sixth nationally with 2.9 blocks per set. Her 96 blocks this season moved her into fourth all-time at Syracuse with 515 in her career, while her career hitting percentage (.344) sits at second. Ebangwese also ranks among the top-10 in career block assists (438), solo blocks (77) and blocks per set (1.23). She is currently fourth among all active Division 1 players in total career blocks.
In 2017, she set the school record for single-season hitting percentage (.374). She helped Syracuse advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championships (NIVC), its first national postseason tournament in school history. Ebangwese also earned 2017 AVCA East Region All-American honors and became the second Syracuse volleyball player to earn first-team All-ACC honors.
A bioengineering major, Ebangwese is also enrolled in the Syracuse University honor's program. She is a two-time Academic All-ACC honoree and a three-time ACC Honor Roll selection. Following her graduation from Syracuse in May, Ebangwese will continue her studies as she works toward a Master of Science with the hopes of enrolling in medical school.
An active member of Syracuse University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since 2016, Ebangwese currently serves as the organization's co-president and is also an active member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).
Ebangwese, a Rochester N.Y. native, works as a scribe in the Emergency Department at Upstate Community campus for the ScribeAmerica organization. Her other community involvement includes serving as a volunteer escort at the Syracuse VA Medical Center and as a tutor at the Northside Children's Center.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as a NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors and focuses on the total student-athlete, encouraging students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
For all of the latest information on Syracuse volleyball, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & CuseVB), Twitter (@Cuse & @Cuse VB), and Instagram (@cusepics & @cusevb).
Nationwide fan voting begins immediately, and fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through Dec. 5. Fan votes will then be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award recipient will be announced during the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in December.
The nine other finalists are: Tami Alade (Stanford), Ali Bastianelli (Illinois), Lauren Bruns (Dayton), Mikaela Foecke (Nebraska), Taryn Kloth (Creighton), Haley Libs (Northern Kentucky), Courtney Pence (Illinois State), Jordyn Poulter (Illinois), Samantha Seliger-Swenson (Minnesota).
This season, Ebangwese leads the ACC and ranks 11th nationally with a .413 hitting percentage. She has been a critical part of the Syracuse defense that ranks sixth nationally with 2.9 blocks per set. Her 96 blocks this season moved her into fourth all-time at Syracuse with 515 in her career, while her career hitting percentage (.344) sits at second. Ebangwese also ranks among the top-10 in career block assists (438), solo blocks (77) and blocks per set (1.23). She is currently fourth among all active Division 1 players in total career blocks.
In 2017, she set the school record for single-season hitting percentage (.374). She helped Syracuse advance to the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Volleyball Championships (NIVC), its first national postseason tournament in school history. Ebangwese also earned 2017 AVCA East Region All-American honors and became the second Syracuse volleyball player to earn first-team All-ACC honors.
A bioengineering major, Ebangwese is also enrolled in the Syracuse University honor's program. She is a two-time Academic All-ACC honoree and a three-time ACC Honor Roll selection. Following her graduation from Syracuse in May, Ebangwese will continue her studies as she works toward a Master of Science with the hopes of enrolling in medical school.
An active member of Syracuse University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since 2016, Ebangwese currently serves as the organization's co-president and is also an active member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS).
Ebangwese, a Rochester N.Y. native, works as a scribe in the Emergency Department at Upstate Community campus for the ScribeAmerica organization. Her other community involvement includes serving as a volunteer escort at the Syracuse VA Medical Center and as a tutor at the Northside Children's Center.
To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as a NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors and focuses on the total student-athlete, encouraging students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
For all of the latest information on Syracuse volleyball, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & CuseVB), Twitter (@Cuse & @Cuse VB), and Instagram (@cusepics & @cusevb).
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