OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Indiana women’s basketball senior guard Ali Patberg has been named one of thirty women’s candidates for the 2020-21 Senior CLASS Award.
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.
A three-year captain for the Hoosiers, Patberg started in 78 games and holds career averages of 15.1 points, 4.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds, a 45.5 field goal percentage and 79.1 free throw percentage. She became the 28th member of IU’s 1,000-point club this season and has scored 1,181 career points in Cream and Crimson. Patberg is a top 10 finalist for the 2021 Nancy Lieberman Award, was a 2020 WBCA All-American honorable mention and is a two-time All-Big Ten selection including first team honors in 2019-20.
Patberg graduated from Indiana’s world-renowned Kelley School of Business in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in finance where she held a 3.7 GPA and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in recreational administration. She is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and 2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
In addition, the Columbus, Ind. native has dedicated her time to countless volunteer outreach programs during her time at Indiana including IU women’s basketball’s Candy Stripe Crew. The event, which she has participated in all four years while she’s been at Indiana, the team hosts 50 disabled and handicapped adult and children for a two-hour basketball clinic. Other volunteer work Patberg has participated in includes Habitat for Humanity Build, Camp Riley Hoosiers Outrun Cancer, Salvation Army Kettlebell Kick-Off, Fairview Hoosier Readers, Fairview recess buddies and Read Across America.
Patberg’s nomination as one of the top 30 candidates marks the third time in four years the Hoosiers have put a player on the prestigious list – Brenna Wise (2020) and Tyra Buss (2018).
Thirty NCAA® women’s basketball student-athletes who excel both on and off the court were selected as candidates today for the 2020-21 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. The complete list of candidates follows this release.
The women’s candidates will be narrowed to two fields of ten finalists in late February, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will then select one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C’s of community, classroom, character and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2021 NCAA Women’s Final Four® this spring.
For more information on each of the candidates, please visit www.seniorclassaward.com.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CANDIDATES:
Janelle Bailey, North Carolina Michaela Onyenwere, UCLA
Rennia Davis, Tennessee Myah Pace, San Diego
Shannon Dufficy, Missouri Ali Patberg, Indiana
Dana Evans, Louisville Khiarica Rasheed, Northern Arizona
Amara Graham, Rio Grande Valley Destiny Slocum, Arkansas
Arella Guirantes, Rutgers Bailey Thomas, UNLV
Gabi Haack, Bradley IImar’I Thomas, Cincinnati
Kionna Jeter, Towson Sam Thomas, Arizona
N’dea Jones, Texas A&M Unique Thompson, Auburn
Antoinette Lewis, South Alabama Shannon Titus, Mercer
Jada Lewis, Mercer Jill Townsend, Gonzaga
Aari McDonald, Arizona Maddi Utti, Fresno State
Blanca Millan, Maine Courtney Warley, Manhattan
Maddie Monahan, Drake Mariah White, Cleveland State
Nancy Mulkey, Rice Kiani Williams, Stanford
