Thursday, February 11, 2010

MACON, Ga. – Lipscomb senior first baseman Kellie Sirus and Campbell senior pitcher Brittany Stanley have been named as two of the 30 candidates for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

Sirus is the first member of the softball team to be nominated for the national award. Majoring in Psychology/Nursing, Sirus earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine National Academic First-Team All-America accolades in 2009 and has been a member of the Academic All-Conference Team each year. A native of Sarasota, Fla., Sirus also earned Atlantic Sun Preseason Player of the Year for 2010, to go along with First-Team All-Atlantic Sun and A-Sun All-Tournament Team honors in 2009.

Stanley returns from a memorable 2009 season with the Camels in which she earned Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year and A-Sun Tournament MVP after leading Campbell to the NCAA Tournament for the second-consecutive season. Stanley finished the season with a 19-5 mark and a 1.79 ERA. In 2010, the senior right-handed pitcher has already earned A-Sun Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. In the classroom, Stanley earned a 3.71 grade-point average as a business administration major. The West Lafayette, Ind. native has been a member of the Academic All-Conference Team in each of the last three seasons, in addition to NFCA All-America Scholarship Athlete accolades.

The word "CLASS" is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School TM, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact in their communities. The award was originally launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving school early to pursue professional careers. Veteran sportscaster Dick Enberg conceived the award.

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 – classroom, character, community and competition. Midway through the regular season the 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists. Those 10 names will be placed on the official ballot with voting by the media, coaches and fans. The winner will be announced in June at the NCAA Women's College World Series.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.