From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics
The Rotary Club of Salem, Virginia, has announced Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball senior Lisa Murphy (McLean, Va./McLean) as a finalist for the 2017 Jostens Trophy. Murphy is one of 10 finalists for the award, which is handed out to an outstanding NCAA Division III men's and women's basketball player who excels on the court, in the classroom and in the community.
The Jostens Trophy is a symbol of excellence for the Division III student-athlete. Nominees are screened based on basketball ability, academic performance and extracurricular and/or civic activities exemplifying the Rotary Club motto of "Service Above Self."
While Murphy has successfully navigated the basketball court, averaging 24.6 points and 13.2 rebounds per game this season with a national leading 79.9% shooting performance from the field, she takes pride in her academics and works hard away from the court in the surrounding Pittsburgh community.
Murphy holds a 3.84 GPA in psychology and spends time as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and serves as vice president of Psi Chi, the International Psychology Honor Society. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Mortar Board and is an Andrew Carnegie Society Scholar. Murphy has volunteered in the community on numerous occasions and spends each Monday at the Environmental Charter School in Pittsburgh as a student intern in an inclusive first grade classroom. Her volunteer activities include working with Special Olympics, Carnegie Mellon's 1,000 plus Day of Service, CMU's Service Saturday and working in small groups to provide lunches and conversation to those who are homeless and marginally housed in the area of Oakland through First Trinity Homeless Ministry. Murphy's next stop will be graduate school, as she plans to earn her master's degree in early childhood special education.
"I feel very lucky to be at a school like CMU and be given the opportunities that I have," said Murphy. "Any chance I have to be able to give back to others is something I like to take advantage of. So if I have free time, why not do some sort of community service project."
The national selection committee will review the finalists and submit their ballots by March 9. The final presentation will take place on Thursday, March 16 prior to the NCAA Division III Men's National Championship in Salem, Virginia.