Tristen Edwards Selected as Senior CLASS Award Candidate

Senior outfielder Tristen Edwards has been selected as one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award, announced on Tuesday. 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.

A two-time first-team All-Big Ten pick, Edwards has excelled both on and off the field at Nebraska. On the field, Edwards was a NFCA All-Region pick in 2019 after starting all 52 games. In 2019, the Murrieta, Calif., native led Nebraska at the plate in batting average (.376), slugging percentage (.758), hits (56), walks (33), doubles (12), total bases (113), at bats (149), on-base percentage (.497), RBIs (50) and home runs (15). Additionally, Edwards earned the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Player of the Week and College Sports Madness National Field Player of the Week in 2019 after an impressive outing at the 2019 ACC/Big Ten Challenge. 

In 2020, Edwards was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after going 7-for-16 (.438) with nine runs, two doubles, four homers, five RBIs and four walks in the opening weekend at the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, N.M. Edwards has started all nine games so far this season and leads the team with a .367 batting average, four home runs and a .867 slugging percentage. Additionally, she has moved into a tie for sixth place on Nebraska's career home runs list with 35. 

Off the field, Edwards holds a 3.249 cumulative GPA as a management major. A two-time academic all-Big Ten pick, Edwards is a six-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and has made the Dean's List twice. Edwards is also a three-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team for her service and leadership in the community and has volunteered at the Matt Talbot Food Kitchen, People's City Mission, the Global Huskers Festival, the West Lincoln Fun Run, the Kahoa Wellness Fair,  the Belmont Elementary Summer Camp, the Caveat Elementary Fun Night, Reverse Trick or Treating, Underprivileged Family Adoption Team, the Kloefkorn Elementary Fun Night, the Maxey Elementary Fun Night, Adams Elementary, Boo at the Zoo, Jack Frost Jog and Husker Heroes.

"There is not a better teammate than Tristen Edwards," Head Coach Rhonda Revelle said. "Everything she does, she does for the greater good of the team. Nobody works harder or cares more. Her willingness to sacrifice for her team is uncommon and special. Tristen is a beautiful human being who just happens to be an excellent softball player as well."

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. 
 
The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists later in the 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 select one candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.
 
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2020 Women's College World Series®.