Soccer's Sheeleigh a Finalist for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award

Harvard athletes often excel at balancing success on and off the playing field—yet very few do it quite as well as women’s soccer co-captain Katherine Sheeleigh.

On account of such success, Sheeleigh has been selected as one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for collegiate women’s soccer. The award, given to one senior each year, was created to honor student-athletes who “exemplify the four Cs—community, classroom, character, and competition.”

Sheeleigh has certainly excelled at her sport, being named to the All-Ivy first team and National Soccer Coaches Association of America all-region team three times each.

Perhaps even more remarkably, Sheeleigh has also made a difference in local and international communities where she has spent time as a volunteer physical therapy aide in the summer and an intern for the Ministry of Education, helping to tailor programs for high school students in the Marshall Islands during last J-term.

But what really makes Sheeleigh stand out, even among fellow Lowe’s finalists, is the series of obstacles she has overcome to get where she is. As many athletes know, it’s difficult to come back from two serious injuries during a college career. But what’s even more difficult is being diagnosed with cerebral palsy and having no movement in one half of your body.

Yet that’s exactly what happened to Sheeleigh as an infant, and now–thanks to huge amounts of perseverance and seven years of physical therapy–she is one of the nation’s most elite, and well-rounded, collegiate women’s soccer players.

To vote for Sheeleigh for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award click here: http://www.seniorclassaward.com/athletes/katherine_sheeleigh/

Ballots close November 14th.