WVU Basketball: Lanay Montgomery 2017 Award Finalist

West Virginia University women’s basketball standout Lanay Montgomery is one of 30 finalists for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award. CLASS, short for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their community. 

Athletically, Montgomery covers a lot of ground for Head Coach Mike Carey. She leads the Mountaineers with 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game, and is first on the team – and second in the Big 12 – with an amazing 70.9 field goal percentage. She’s second in West Virginia history with 283 all-time blocks, a number that also lands her sixth on the Big 12’s all-time list.

It’s more than just basketball with Montgomery, though; she’s the definition of what the CLASS award looks for.

Academically, Montgomery is just as successful. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in May of 2016, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in communications. She’s also appeared on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Away from West Virginia’s classrooms and the many arenas across the country she dazzles, Montgomery is heavily active within the Morgantown community. She’s volunteered with the Bartlett House, cooked meals at the Ronald McDonald House of Morgantown, and read to the children with WVU’s Read Aloud program; she’s also volunteered at the WVU Child Learning center primarily working with preschool-aged children.

Only two other Mountaineers have been finalists for the Senior CLASS Award, Bria Holmes last year and Liz Repella in 2011. Of the 30 finalists this season, 10 will make the official ballot in February. Those ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches, and fans. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the NCAA Women’s Final Four this spring.