Softball Candidates Announced for 2018 Senior CLASS Award
March 15, 2018
Download in PDF formatOVERLAND PARK, Kan. (March 15, 2018) – Thirty of the top NCAA® softball student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected as candidates today for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate softball.
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 30 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 during the 2018 Women’s College World Series®.
Softball 2018 Candidates
| Name | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| Precious Birdsong | Outfielder | Middle Tennessee State University |
| Rebecca Blitz | Outfielder | Indiana University |
| Devin Brown | Pitcher | South Alabama |
| Kaylee Carlson | Pitcher | Auburn |
| Ivie Drake | Catcher | Georgia State University |
| Lea Foerster | Centerfield | Michigan State University |
| Meghan Gregg | Shortstop | Tennessee |
| Kylee Hanson | Pitcher | Florida State |
| Brittany Hitchcock | Pitcher | University of Hawaii |
| Carley Hoover | Pitcher | LSU |
| Gabrielle Kelliher | Outfield/Designated Player | Marist |
| Morgan Klaevemann | Outfield | Florida State |
| Meghan Kovac | First Base | Bucknell |
| Kayli Kvistad | First Base | University of Florida |
| Emily Lochten | Shortstop | Florida Atlantic University |
| Briana Matazinsky | Pitcher/Infield | Manhattan College |
| Paige Parker | Pitcher | University of Oklahoma |
| Kylee Perez | Infielder | UCLA |
| Erika Piancastelli | Utility | McNeese State |
| Randi Rupp | Pitcher | Texas State University |
| Jacquelyn Sertic | Pitcher | North Dakota State University |
| Vanessa Shippy | Utility | Oklahoma State |
| Taylor Van Zee | Infield | University of Washington |
| Tori Vidales | Infield | Texas A&M |
| Alexis Walkden | Infield | Seton Hall |
| Carlee Wallace | Catcher | Baylor University |
| Allie Walljasper | Pitcher | LSU |
| Emily Watson | Pitcher | Tulsa |
| Taylor White | OF | The Ohio State University |
| Carolyn Wright | Catcher | Lehigh |
