THE FLATS – Georgia Tech women’s basketball senior guard Lotta-Maj Lahtinen was named one of 30 candidates for the 2021-22 Senior CLASS Award announced Tuesday by the organization.
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 30 candidates will be narrowed down to 10 finalists in February. A national voting initiative comprised of media, coaches and fans will then select the one male winner and one female winner for the prestigious award.
The 2021 Atlantic Coast Conference Most Improved Player, Lahtinen led the Yellow Jackets offensively last season, averaging 15.0 points per game. To conclude the conference season, Lahtinen was tabbed all-ACC first team by the media and all-ACC second team by the league’s head coaches. A team captain, Lahtinen helped Georgia Tech reach the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for only the second time in program history and was tabbed WBCA NCAA Division I Coaches’ All-America honorable mention to cap the season.
In addition to excelling on the court, Lahtinen has dedicated time to giving back to the community. In 2019, Lahtinen joined fellow Georgia Tech student-athletes and staff members on a service trip to Puerto Rico with Jackets Without Borders to help a local community rebuild after Hurricane Maria. The group of Yellow Jackets helped repair a roof for a local family and assisted other families in the community. Lahtinen has also joined her teammates in helping build a home for a local Atlanta family with Habitat for Humanity and is active in the women’s basketball reading program, Buzzer Readers, participating in school visits and book readings to young children.
She also represents women’s basketball on the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) and serves on the mental health and diversity, equity and inclusion committees. In the classroom, Lahtinen has been twice-named to the all-ACC Women’s Basketball Academic Team (2020 and 2021), while also placing on the ACC Academic Honor Roll three consecutive years (2019-21). A business administration major, Lahtinen most recently was tabbed 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District.
Lahtinen is one of four candidates selected from the ACC, joining Elissa Cunane (NC State), Morgan Jones (Florida State) and Aisha Sheppard (Virginia Tech).
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2022 NCAA Women’s Final Four®.
For more information, visit www.seniorclassaward.com.
2021-22 Senior CLASS Award Women’s Basketball Candidates
Shakira Austin, Ole Miss
Katie Benzan, Maryland
Grace Berger, Indiana
Conley Chinn, Belmont
Elissa Cunane, NC State
Andra Espinoza-Hunter, Seton Hall
Dru Gylten, Utah
Gabi Haack, Bradley
Sara Hamson, BYU
Lauren Heard, TCU
Lexi Held, DePaul
Destanni Henderson, South Carolina
Naz Hillmon, Michigan
Rhyne Howard, Kentucky
Lexie Hull, Stanford
Tylee Irwin, South Dakota State
Morgan Jones, Florida State
Dorka Juhasz, UConn
Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, Georgia Tech
Jordan Lewis, Baylor
Sonya Morris, DePaul
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn
Ali Patberg, Indiana
Aisha Sheppard, Virginia Tech
NaLyssa Smith, Baylor
Sam Thomas, Arizona
Lauren Van Kleunen, Marquette
Abby Wahl, Eastern Illinois
Christyn Williams, UConn
Macee Williams, IUPUI
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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