Thursday, February 17, 2011

Spartanburg, S.C. – Morgan Childers has received numerous honors throughout her standout career as a pitcher at USC Upstate. On Wednesday, she received her highest national honor after being selected as one of 30 softball players in the nation to be named to the national list for the Lowes Senior CLASS Award.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, 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 as leaders in their communities. 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.

From the list of 30 candidates, a national media committee will select 10 finalists for the 2011 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in late March. Those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot for a nationwide vote. Fan balloting will be coupled with votes from coaches and media to determine the recipient of the award. The winner will be announced at the 2011 NCAA Women's College World Series in June. Nominations for all of the candidates can be viewed at www.seniorCLASSaward.com.

Childers, from Kings Mountain, N.C., is the most accomplished player in the history of the Upstate program. She owns seven career records at Upstate, including 1,015 strikeouts and 88 wins. She ranks second all-time in the A-Sun in strikeouts and wins and is one of just two pitchers in the history of the conference to reach 1,000 in a career. She has tossed five no-hitters in four seasons and has recorded 34 shutouts in her career.

"I feel very honored to be selected in this group of really great ball players and individuals," said Childers. "I know how important it is to not only be a softball player, but to work just as hard at being a student and a leader on the team and in the community. Just being selected among this group of people is tremendously humbling."

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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 five 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.