MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University women’s soccer midfielder Amanda Hill is one of 30 candidates for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award.

 

Presented annually, the award is given to a student-athlete who shows notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the 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.

 

Hill is the third Mountaineer in as many years to be named a candidate for the award. Kate Schwindel was named a finalist in 2014 and earned a spot on the Senior CLASS All-America Second Team.

 

A native of Washington, Pennsylvania, Hill is a two-time team captain for the Mountaineers and has started all 68 career matches.

 

“I’m truly honored to be selected as a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award,” said Hill. “This award not only recognizes athletic achievements, but it also honors achievements and successes away from the playing field, too. I have been blessed with so many opportunities to make a difference on and off the soccer field, and it is incredibly gratifying to see that hard work recognized.”

 

Hill is pursuing degrees in exercise physiology and animal and nutritional science at WVU, while also minoring in sport and exercise psychology. A two-time Academic All-Big 12 Soccer First Team honoree, she boasts a 3.97 grade point average and previously was named to the 2013 CoSIDA All-District Second Team and the 2012 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team. Hill also has been named to the President’s and Dean’s Lists, as well as the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll.

 

Labeled the “on-field coach” by Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown, Hill has accumulated more than 750 hours of community service during her WVU career. She has served as a dog walker for the Washington (Pa.) Area Humane Society, volunteered at Cheat Lake Animal Hospital and the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, assisted with WVU women’s soccer camps and the annual 4v4 breast cancer tournament, and served as a volunteer handler for Hearts of Gold Service Dog Organization.

 

On the field, Hill has helped WVU win three straight Big 12 Conference regular-season titles and back-to-back Big 12 Soccer Championship titles, as well as qualify for three consecutive NCAA Tournaments. A 2013 All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, she has scored five career goals and notched six career assists for 16 career points. Hill also has assisted the WVU defense post 33 shutouts since 2012.

 

The candidate class will be narrowed to 10 finalist midway through the regular season, 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 then select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C’s of community, classroom, character and competition.

 

The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2015 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Cup championships in December.