Senior forward Cory Conacher of the Canisius College hockey team has been named one of 20 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be a senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - classroom, character, community and competition.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Lowe's 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 the community.

On the ice, Conacher has enjoyed one of the most successful careers in school history. The 2009-10 Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year, Conacher set program records with 53 points, 33 assists and five game-winning goals last season. He finished his junior campaign ranked second nationally with 1.51 points per game. For his career, Conacher ranks fourth in the program's Division I history with 110 points, fourth with 68 assists and tied for fifth with 42 goals. He also currently shares the school record with nine game-winning scores.

Off the ice, Conacher owns a 3.33 grade point average as a finance major and is a two-time selection to the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team. An assistant captain this season, Conacher is also active within the Buffalo community, working on a number of community service initiatives. He has also overcome a number of challenges, which include being a type 1 diabetic, being the youngest player in his class and a wrist injury, to accomplish what he has.

From the list of 20 candidates, 10 will be placed on an official ballot midway through the regular season. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.

Conacher and the Griffs return to the ice on Tuesday, Oct. 19, playing an Atlantic Hockey contest at Mercyhurst. Game time is slated for 7:05 p.m.