UC Santa Barbara senior setter Dana Vargas has been named a Lowe's Senior CLASS award nominee, one of just 30 women's volleyball players nationwide to be considered for the prestigious award.

An AVCA All-American last season, as well as an All-West Region First Team selection and an All-Big West First Team selection, Vargas is the only player from the Big West to be nominated in the inaugural CLASS award in women's volleyball. By doing more than just putting up numbers on the court, Vargas was selected as a candidate for the award for her work in the classroom, her character and her efforts in the community.

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 their communities.

The candidate class 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 voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.

Vargas is currently fourth all-time at UCSB in career assists and could become one of just three players in the illustrious programs history to reach 5,000 career assists. She holds a 3.19 cumulative grade-point average and has worked as a volunteer coach in Santa Barbara and at camps in her native Seal Beach, Calif. The sociology major has also volunteered at homeless shelters and animal shelters as well as contributing to UCSB Athletics annual beach clean-up.