OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – University of South Alabama senior pitcher Devin Brown was one of 30 student-athletes from around the nation to be selected as a candidate for the 2018 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate softball on Thursday.

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 to 10 finalists later in the season by a national media committee, 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®.  For more information on all the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.

Brown has excelled in the classroom, community, competition and character.  This season, she has already reached three significant milestones in the circle as she became the program's all-time strikeout leader.  On Wednesday against Western Kentucky, the senior picked up the 28th shutout of her career to tie her with former Jag All-American Hannah Campbell for tops on South's career chart, as well as becoming the first player in program history to eclipse the 800-strikeout mark.

Prior to the start of the season, Brown was a preseason all-Sun Belt selection for the third time in her career as well as being selected to USA Softball's Top 50 "Watch List" for the 2018 Collegiate Player of the Year award.  Earlier this week, Brown was also named the Community Coffee Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week for the 12th time in her career.

ABOUT THE AWARD
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards a senior season can bring. Premier Sports Management manages the award.

2018 Senior CLASS Award® Candidates
Precious Birdsong, Middle Tennessee State        
Briana Matazinsky, Manhattan
Rebecca Blitz, Indiana                 
Paige Parker, Oklahoma
Devin Brown, South Alabama             
Kylee Perez, UCLA
Kaylee Carlson, Auburn                
Erika Piancastelli, McNeese State
Ivie Drake, Georgia State                
Randi Rupp, Texas State    
Lea Foerster, Michigan State                
Jacquelyn Sertic, North Dakota State
Meghan Gregg, Tennessee                
Vanessa Shippy, Oklahoma State
Kylee Hanson, Florida State                
Taylor Van Zee, Washington
Brittany Hitchcock, Hawaii                
Tori Vidales, Texas A&M
Carley Hoover, LSU                    
Alexis Walkden, Seton Hall
Gabrielle Kelliher, Marist                
Carlee Wallace, Baylor
Morgan Klaevemann, Florida State             
Allie Walljasper, LSU
Meghan Kovac, Bucknell                
Emily Watson, Tulsa
Kayli Kvistad, Florida                    
Taylor White, Ohio State
Emily Lochten, Florida Atlantic            
Carolyn Wright, Lehigh

UP NEXT
- South Alabama (14-11, 2-1 SBC) will step back into Sun Belt play this weekend as they travel to Georgia Southern for a three-game league series.  The two clubs will open up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday with a pair of games (12 p.m. and 2 p.m. [CT]) and then close out the series on Sunday with a single game scheduled to start at 11 a.m. (CT) at Eagle Field.  

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_Jags. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund.  Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear.  All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program.  For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub

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