PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's soccer student-athletes Gabby Provenzano and Frankie Tagliaferri were named candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award. The award recognizes student-athletes who excel both on and off the field.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior or graduate-student 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. 
 

Provenzano has aided the backline in posting five shutouts this season, holding all opponents to single-digit shots on goal. The captain has earned two Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, owning a goal and an assist on the year. Provenzano has appeared in 87 games for RU, starting 70 and posting a career total of four goals and three assists.

In 2020, the captain claimed her first All-Region accolade, following a All-Big Ten First Team nod. She anchored a backline that posted seven shutouts, while holding all 16 opponents to just single-digit shots on goal. Dating back to 2019, the program has extended that streak to 37 straight opponents held to single-digit shots on goal to date.
 
The Sergeantsville, New Jersey, native was tabbed a Big Ten All-Tournament selection, aiding the Scarlet Knights in two shutouts on Big Ten Regional weekend to advance RU to its second straight semifinal appearance in 2020-21. Her efforts also pushed Rutgers to its ninth straight NCAA bid, advancing to the second round for the first time since 2017.

In the classroom, the sport management major is a Scholar All-America, Scholar All-Region, Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree. The senior recently interned with Rutgers Athletics Leadership Development and Strategic Partnerships. She managed the Brain Break Communication Service Opportunities, which allowed student-athletes to take a pause from athletics and academics to give back to the community. The senior is active in community outreach, including the Bobadilla Summer Soccer Academy, Rutgers Thank-a-Thon, SAAC food drive, and toy drives for New Brunswick schools.
 
 
Tagliaferri, a Big Ten transfer, returned to her home state for her final year of eligibility. The Colts Neck, New Jersey, native arrives "To the Banks" as an All-American, two-time All-Region, and four-time All-Big Ten. Across her first four collegiate years, the midfielder started 64 of 90 games, totaling 79 points, 27 goals, 25 assists and seven gamewinners.

The senior, who has started all nine games since arriving, leads RU with 19 points (7g, 5a) this season. The MAC Hermann Trophy Candidate is the NCAA active leader in games played (99), fifth in assists (30) and ninth in points (98), and 20th in goals (34).

In the classroom, Tagliaferri is a CoSIDA Academic All-America, CoSIDA Academic All-District, Academic All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree. Tagliaferri is already eager to become a part of the Rutgers community. While at Penn State, she took part in a plethora of Helper Helper initiatives. Some events included kid clinics after games, where the team trained kids for about two hours after at least a game a year, and an athlete trick or treat with younger kids. 
 
The biggest community outreach effort was THON, the largest student ran philanthropy organization in the world to raise money and awareness for the fight against childhood cancer. During the 46-hour dance marathon, she would help run a 3-4 hour athlete hour with kids and families that were suffering from childhood cancer and diseases 
  
RUTGERS WOMEN'S SOCCER | SENIOR CLASS AWARD HISTORY
It marks the second straight year RU has had a candidate for the Award, as classmate Amirah Ali was named a finalist and First Team selection in 2020-21. The program has two candidates on the list for the second time in program history since 2015. A total of eight Scarlet Knights have been recognized in the last 13 years. RU has had three finalist and the 2015 winner in Brianne Reed.

Each of the 60 candidates for 2021, 30 women and 30 men, has displayed a strong work ethic in the classroom and on the pitch. Outside of academics and athletics, all candidates have also been consistently involved in community service on their campus or in their communities.

Each of the two candidate classes 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 male candidate and one female 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 2021 NCAA Men's and Women's College Cup® championships in December.

 
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