OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Penn State men's soccer senior Aaron Molloy has been named one of 30 candidates for the 2019 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate soccer as announced Monday.
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.
Molloy is the first Penn State men's soccer candidate since Kyle MacDonald in 2015.
Molloy intends to finish his undergraduate degree in recreation, park and tourism management in spring 2020. The Dublin, Ireland, native has taken classes in leisure and human behavior, marketing of recreation services, leadership and group dynamics in recreation services, tourism and human behavior, among others. These classes have led to real-life experience when Molloy assisted with the All-Sports Museum's "Battle of the Student Section" where he helped on the marketing and donations team, assisting in marketing activities to help promote and support the event and also evaluating risk management.
Molloy's character has shined on the field in his leadership role as a two-time team captain for the Nittany Lions.
Molloy is an active member of not only the Penn State community but also the State College community. He's volunteered at the local YMCA to help kids with after-school activities while providing support with homework and playing games with groups and individuals. He will always stay post-game at Jeffrey Field to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.
In the game, Molloy is an incredible competitor on the pitch. During the 2018 season, Molloy earned second-team All-Big Ten honors while also being named to the United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Third Team. The midfielder is currently the leading goal-scorer for Penn State in 2019 with three goals.
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 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists midway through the regular season and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide system of voting to media, coaches and fans, who will select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2019 NCAA Men's College Cup championship in December.