Graduate student Luke Hanson was one of 20 NCAA men's lacrosse student-athletes who have been selected as candidates for the prestigious 2021 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.
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.
Hanson, who graduated with a 3.95 grade point average, is a member of both the Epsilon Sigma Pi and Beta Gamma Sigma Business honor societies. He earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average in three semesters and is a three-time MAAC All-Academic Team honoree.
He was a finalist for the prestigious Gunn Medal, which is the highest academic designation at Manhattan College, and has worked as a tutor for the Manhattan College Center for Academic Success. Following the 2019-20 season, Hanson, who is the first ever four-year captain at Manhattan, was named Mr. Jasper, which is bestowed to the student-athlete that excels in the classroom and on the field.
In the community, Hanson has participated in the Central Park Breast Cancer Walk, the Tunnel 2 Towers Run, Team Impact and the St. Baldrick's fundraiser.
On the field, Hanson was one of the top offensive players during the MAAC's truncated 2020 season, ranking second with 2.0 assists per game, and was was named MAAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after tying a league record with nine assists against Wagner.
Hanson is currently attending graduate school with aspirations of attaining his Master of Business Administration in Finance/Economics.
The 20 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists later in the season, and those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system 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 winner will be announced in conjunction with the 2021 NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championship in May.