March 13, 2008
University Park, Pa. - Senior outfielder Brian Ernst of the Penn State baseball team has been named as a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. The fifth-year senior out of Boyertown, Pa. is one of 30 senior baseball student-athletes from around the nation that have been named as candidates for this second annual award in the baseball division.
The Senior CLASS Award was originally conceived by sportscaster Dick Enberg back in 2001, which honored a senior men's basketball player in response to the growing trend of men's basketball players leaving school early for the NBA. Lowe's, which sponsors the award, has since expanded the award to include men's hockey, men's lacrosse, baseball, softball and men's and women's soccer. CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The award was designed to honor the attributes of seniors who remain committed to their university and elect to pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring. The award focuses on the four `C's,' classroom, character, community and competition.
Ernst is one of two fifth-year seniors on this year's baseball team. He is the active leader on the team in batting average and has hit over .300 in each of the last two seasons. A third team All-Big Ten selection last year, he is off to a good start to this season as well, as he is hitting .366 to lead the team through the first 11 games. He also has an on-base percentage of .400, a .439 slugging percentage and has three sacrifices to lead the team as well.
In the other areas that the award is based on, Ernst has stood out as well. He is one of three team captains this year, the first team captains that have been named by fourth-year head coach Robbie Wine. He has also done community service work both individually and with the team through United Way and Habitat for Humanity and Ernst also had the highest grade point average on the team at 3.72 while majoring in accounting. He was the team's Shorty Stoner Award winner last season as the team member with the highest gpa.
From the initial list of 30 candidates that has been compiled now, the list will be trimmed to 10 finalists in mid-April by a national media committee. Those 10 names will then be placed on a national ballot for a nationwide vote that will include coaches, media and fans. The winner will be announced and recognized at the NCAA College World Series in Omaha, Neb. in June.
More information on the award can be found at www.seniorclassaward.com.