Senior CLASS Award Release | Notre Dame Preview | Rankings Release

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Senior close defender Christian Burgdorf (Westfield, N.J.) and attackman Connor Cannizzaro (Cazenovia, N.Y.) are two of the 20 men's lacrosse student-athletes from across the country that have been tabbed 2017 Senior CLASS Award Candidates, the award committee announced on Thursday. Denver is one of two programs with multiple candidates on Thursday's list.

Head coach Bill Tierney on Burgdorf:

"From day one when Christian stepped into our program, he has surprised us. We thought he was a good recruit, but when he came in here the first day in the fall of his freshman year we said, 'Wow, we underestimated what this guy is.' He'll be a four-year starter and has really taken over being to voice of our team as a leader. He's always saying and doing the right things. To come in here on a team that was pretty good when he got here and be the guy who, for now four years in a row, will be on the other team's best attackman, is a great statement for him. The coolest thing about Christian, I think, is that he's never changed in his four years here. He's the same guy, which makes him a rock for the other guys to go to and lean on."

Check out Burgdorf's Senior CLASS bio here.

Head Coach Bill Tierney on Cannizzaro:

"In my 35 years of coaching at the college level, Connor is in the top three or four of guys who work hard every single day. Sometimes he scares us how hard he works. He's a great student who comes from a great family that is ultra-successful. Guys turn to Connor for leadership because he always seems to do the right thing. He's a great captain for our program because he always puts effort into every drill, and he can share with our guys, as a role model, how to do things and how to do them correctly. We're blessed that he came here, are proud of his accomplishments and look forward to seeing him continue to compete in his senior year."

Check out Cannizzaro's Senior CLASS bio here.

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. The complete list of candidates follows this release.

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 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 2017 NCAA Men's Lacrosse National Championship in May.

For more information on all the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

UP NEXT: [4/5] Denver men's lacrosse, Presented By Your Hometown Toyota Stores, will conclude its season-opening six-game homestand on Sunday as one of the top rivalries in the sport returns to Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium when [1/1] Notre Dame visits the Mile High City on March 12 for a 1 p.m. MT faceoff. Sunday's game will be broadcast live on Altitude TV and ESPN Denver 1600.

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