Valpo's Zobeck Named National Finalist for Senior CLASS Award

Valparaiso goalkeeper Kyle Zobeck (Coralville, Iowa) has been named one of 10 national finalists for the 2012 men's soccer Senior CLASS Award.

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.

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 finalists were chosen by a media committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September, which also included Loyola senior goalkeeper Peter McKeown (Woodbury, Minn.).

A fifth-year senior, Zobeck has been involved with numerous Valparaiso soccer camps and has contributed time and energy to community service projects undertaken by the Crusaders, including TOCO and St. Baldrick's.

In the classroom, the mechanical engineering major has maintained a 3.969 GPA and was a Third-Team Scholar All-American in 2011. For his efforts, Zobeck has been named a Tau Beta Pi Laureate, the highest honor for a senior engineering student in the United States. Over the past 30 years, only 83 students have earned that accolade.

The two-time team captain's success on the field is also evident. Last season, Zobeck was named the Horizon League Goalkeeper of the Year while leading Valpo to the regular season League Championship. Among Crusaders, Zobeck holds the career records in goals against average (0.93) and shutouts (21). In 2012, his 0.76 GAA is tops in the Horizon League and ranks 26th nationally.

Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through November 19. Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winner.