Purdue’s Drey Mingo, Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins Sr. CLASS finalists
From Purdue Athletics and ISL Staff
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the second-consecutive season and the third time under head coach Sharon Versyp, a member of the Purdue women’s basketball team is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award.
The Senior CLASS Award committee announced Wednesday that Drey Mingo is one of 10 finalists for this year’s prestigious honor.
Brittany Rayburn was a finalist last season and Katie Gearlds was the runner up in 2007 for the Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes excellence on and off the court.
Notre Dame guard Skylar Diggins also is a finalist.
Mingo is Purdue’s second leading scorer and second leading rebounder, averaging 12.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks for the 13th-ranked Boilermakers. She has been recognized with multiple honors for her determination, resilience and selflessness. This year Mingo was awarded the Giant Steps Courageous Student-Athlete award by the NCAS, is a finalist for the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup and was a quarterfinalist for the Courage in Sports Award by CBS. In 2011, Mingo was a finalist for the V Foundation Comeback Award and as well as a third team All-Big Ten team member, despite an illness shortened season.
The sixth-year senior is a three-time captain and in addition to her multiple community service activities, has started a not-for-profit entity, Sounds of Serenity. The goal of Sounds of Serenity is to raise awareness about and raise funds for hearing aids for children. For more information on Sounds of Serenity, please visit teamsounds.net.
As a junior, two days after recording a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds against DePaul on Nov. 21 to help the Boilermakers win the Preseason WNIT title, Mingo was hospitalized in critical condition with acute bacterial meningitis. The life-threatening illness caused her to spend five days in the intensive care unit of a Lafayette, Ind., hospital and left her with partial but permanent hearing loss. Mingo missed just four games however, and finished the season averaging 12.0 points, a team-high 5.8 rebounds, while setting a Purdue record for season three-point field goal percentage by hitting 27-of-56 threes for 48.2 percent.
It did not get any easier for the talented student-athlete. Mingo missed the 2011-12 season after tearing her ACL on Oct. 29 in a closed scrimmage at Indiana State but remained upbeat and positive throughout the diagnosis and rehabilitation after surgery.
The two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree graduated with a biology degree in May and is pursuing a graduate degree in occupational and environmental health sciences. After obtaining her Master’s degree, she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatric cardiologist.
Diggins averages nearly 16 points and six assists for Notre Dame, which has been to the national title game the past two years. The Irish are ranked No. 2 in the latest AP women’s basketball poll.
To vote, go to seniorCLASSaward.com.
Twenty NCAA® men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes were selected as finalists for the 2012-13 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate basketball. 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 men’s candidates and 30 women’s candidates announced in October. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website or on the Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page through March 25. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner.
The women’s winner will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Final Four® in New Orleans April 7 and 9. For more information on all the finalists, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
