« Softball 2013

Raven Chavanne

School
Tennessee
Position
Third Base
Major
Political Science
AVG
.473
R
63
H
79
FLD%
.962
RBI
31

Classroom

Chavanne has a 3.84 cumulative GPA. She is majoring in political science with a minor in information science and is scheduled to graduate Summa Cum Laude in May 2013. She is a two-time Capital One First Team Academic All-American (2011 and 2012) and a three-time SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll selection (2010, 2011, 2012). She was a Capital One Academic All-District IV First Team pick in 2011 and a Capital one Academic All-District III First Team pick in 2012. Chavanne has made the Dean’s List six times, including five semesters on the Summa Cum Laude Dean’s List. She has also been a VolScholar Honor Roll (minimum 3.0 GPA) selection every semester she has been at Tennessee. Chavanne won the Lady Vol Academic Achiever Recognition Award in 2011 and 2012. As a sophomore, she had a perfect 4.0 GPA during the 2010 fall semester.

Character

Chavanne is a true leader on and off the field. She holds herself and her teammates accountable for all actions on the field to promote a strong team mindset that has produced success for Tennessee.  As the team’s top hitter and primary lead-off hitter in each of the last three seasons, she has set the tone offensively for the Lady Vols, who have enjoyed one of their best stretches in program history since her arrival. Chavanne’s move from the outfield to third base has helped bolster the nation’s top defense (.982 fielding percentage in 2012 led the nation). In the weight room, Chavanne leads by example and is always one of the first to help or encourage a teammate who is struggling. She is selfless and quick to spot situations where her strengths might be able to serve others. Off the field, Chavanne has been a positive role model for aspiring softball players, engaging with fans and local children to match the incredible crowd support they give the Lady Vols every game.

Community

Chavanne has been very active in the community throughout her career. Much of her work in the community has been focused on serving children and the less fortunate. Chavanne’s work with organizations such as Angels of Heaven and Teams & Toys, the free softball clinics she has volunteered at and her time packing and distributing Thanksgiving meal packages at the university’s hospital have allowed her to interact with and directly serve the Knoxville community. She has also spent time volunteering at Christenberry Elementary School and an Iraqi refugee clinic. Chavanne has also participated in numerous fundraising events for breast cancer research, including the Susan G. Komen Knoxville Race for the Cure.

Competition

Chavanne has had a strong senior campaign, starting all 49 of UT’s games at third base. Her current batting average of .474 ranks first in the SEC and fifth in the nation. Her 74 hits, 59 runs and 35 stolen bases also rank first in the conference. On the season, she has a team-high 25 multi-hit games, including eight games with three or more hits, and eight multi-RBI games. Chavanne enjoyed an 11-game hitting streak April 1-April 19, a stretch over which she hit a whopping .676 with two homers and 10 RBIs.  She also enjoyed a 20-game on-base streak that stretched from March 17-April 21. She was named USA Softball Player of the Week for the week of March 18-24, making her just the third Lady Vol to earn this honor twice in her career. She was also named SEC Player of the Week for the sixth time in her career (the most selections for that award in UT history) for the week of March 18-14. Chavanne’s .451 career batting average, .517 career on base percentage and 137 career stolen bases rank first in the Tennessee record books. She ranks second in school history in career runs (233) and hits (338).