BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Alabama senior Kaila Hunt was selected as one of 30 Division-I senior softball players on the initial candidate list for the 2014 Senior CLASS Award.
The CLASS award, an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, celebrates student-athletes that excel on and off the field. Hunt is one of 13 on the list with a cumulative GPA higher than 3.5, one of nine to earn NFCA All-America honors in 2013 and just one of four to earn CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America honors in 2013.
Hunt, a secondary education major from Evans, Ga., has been a key source of power in the Alabama lineup during her time at the Capstone. Her 47 career home runs put her just 14 shy of breaking Kelly Kretschmanās school record of 60, set back in 2001. Besides Kretschman, only Charlotte Morgan (58) and Amanda Locke (54) have hit more than 50 career home runs.
Hunts tireless work ethic extends to the classroom as well. Last season, she became just the sixth player in Alabama history to earn NFCA All-American and CoSIDA Academic All-American honors in the same season. She is a two-time Academic All-District honoree, a two-time Academic All-SEC honoree and two-time NFCA All-America scholar athlete.
Alabama has won the softball CLASS award twice, with Charlotte Morgan winning in 2010 and Kayla Braud winning in 2013.
The candidate group will be narrowed to 10 finalists halfway through the regular season, with the ensuing ballot being sent out to media, coaches and fans to vote on a winner. The winner will be announced at the Womenās College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Hunt and the rest of the Crimson Tide will host the Easton Bama Bash, presented by Drash, this weekend at Rhoads Stadium. Three days of games kick off for Alabama on Friday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. CT against UCF.
Full Senior CLASS Award Candidate List
The CLASS award, an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, celebrates student-athletes that excel on and off the field. Hunt is one of 13 on the list with a cumulative GPA higher than 3.5, one of nine to earn NFCA All-America honors in 2013 and just one of four to earn CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America honors in 2013.
Hunt, a secondary education major from Evans, Ga., has been a key source of power in the Alabama lineup during her time at the Capstone. Her 47 career home runs put her just 14 shy of breaking Kelly Kretschmanās school record of 60, set back in 2001. Besides Kretschman, only Charlotte Morgan (58) and Amanda Locke (54) have hit more than 50 career home runs.
Hunts tireless work ethic extends to the classroom as well. Last season, she became just the sixth player in Alabama history to earn NFCA All-American and CoSIDA Academic All-American honors in the same season. She is a two-time Academic All-District honoree, a two-time Academic All-SEC honoree and two-time NFCA All-America scholar athlete.
Alabama has won the softball CLASS award twice, with Charlotte Morgan winning in 2010 and Kayla Braud winning in 2013.
The candidate group will be narrowed to 10 finalists halfway through the regular season, with the ensuing ballot being sent out to media, coaches and fans to vote on a winner. The winner will be announced at the Womenās College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Hunt and the rest of the Crimson Tide will host the Easton Bama Bash, presented by Drash, this weekend at Rhoads Stadium. Three days of games kick off for Alabama on Friday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. CT against UCF.
Full Senior CLASS Award Candidate List
