[WATCH A VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH EDWARDS BELOW!]
SALEM, VA – University of Texas at Dallas senior point guard Chelsea Edwards was named a finalist for the prestigious Jostens Trophy award on Tuesday by members of the Rotary Club of Salem, Va.
Edwards is the ninth all-time Jostens Trophy women’s finalist from an ASC institution and first since 2008 when McMurry star Tarra Richardson became the league’s first and only winner.
Edwards is the Comets’ all-time leader in points, assists and steals. She averaged 11.8 points per game and was second in the league in steals (3.1) and fourth in assists (4.0) en route to leading UTD to a 19-7 overall record and national ranking in 2009-10. She was named ASC East Division Player of the Year and landed on the five-player All-Conference Team and the East’s first team. Edwards received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from UTD in just three years and is currently perusing her master’s. She has been active in charity work for the homeless in her hometown of Friendswood, Texas.
The awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, March 18 at the Salem Civic Center in conjunction with the Men’s Division III Championship being hosted in Salem, Va., on March 19-20.
The Jostens Trophy is a national award created by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va., to honor the most outstanding men’s and women’s Division III basketball players of the year. The award takes into account three vital parts: basketball ability, academic prowess and community service. The trophy models the Rotary International motto of “Service above Self” by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of the well-rounded Division III student-athlete. This year’s class marks the 13th year the award has been presented.
2010 Men’s Finalists
Brandon Altmann, Univ. of MaryWashington
Zach Ashworth, Univ. of Scranton
Josh Hoch, CarrollUniversity
Corey McAdam, NazarethCollege
Daniel McKeehan, ThomasMoreCollege
Cameron Mitchell, WillametteUniversity
Danny Noll, CentreCollege
Ben Panner, WheatonCollege (Ill.)
Blake Shultz, WilliamsCollege
Aaron Trigg, GordonCollege
2010 Women’s Finalists
Molly Ariail, Randolph-Macon Coll.
Stephanie Boardman, WittenbergUniversity
Colleen Clarke, CazenoviaCollege
Chelsea Edwards, Univ. of Texas at Dallas
Julia Hirrsig, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stout
Claire Ely, Univ. of Puget Sound
Jessica Laing, SUNY Cortland
Lyndsie Long, ElmhurstCollege
Margo Muhlbauer, Buena VistaUniversity
Christina Solari, Illinois Wesleyan Univ.
Kym Wenz, College of Wooster
Mary Wilkowski, HamlineUniversity
ASC’S ALL-TIME JOSTENS TROPHY FINALISTS
(*winner)
MEN
Tyler Winford, Mississippi College (2008)
Kevin Guyden, Mary Hardin-Baylor (2007)
Tommy Stolhandske, Texas Lutheran (2004, 05)
Brian Tudman, McMurry (1999)
David Horner, Mississippi College (1998)
Mark Kellogg, Austin College (1998)
WOMEN
*Tarra Richardson, McMurry (2008)
Lacey Kennedy, Mississippi College (2007)
Diana Martinez, Hardin-Simmons (2005)
Ashley Edwards, Concordia-Austin (2005)
Lauren Harris, Hardin-Simmons (2004)
Tanasha Ellis, East Texas Baptist (2003)
Kendra Anderson, Hardin-Simmons (2002, 03)
Marissa Heese, Austin College (1999)
Michelle Davis, Hardin-Simmons (1998)