OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Hampton University senior guard Jericka Jenkins is among 60 NCAA men's and women's basketball student-athletes who were selected as candidates for the 2011-12 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.

Jenkins is the lone representative from the MEAC to be nominated for the award, and the only player from a Virginia-based school among the female nominees.

Jenkins was named an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American last season, becoming the first Lady Pirate ever to be recognized by the AP. The First Team All-MEAC selection finished the season second in assists, averaging 7.2 per contest, as the Lady Pirates won their second straight MEAC Tournament championship and nearly pulled the upset over Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Jenkins, who also led the team in scoring last season with 13.4 points per game, was also named capital One Academic All-District last season. She was named to the MEAC All-Tournament Team after averaging 15.0 points and 7.0 assists in three games.

She has also been active throughout the community, taking part in various community service projects - including Light the Night.

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.

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.

The Lowe's Senior CLASS Award honors the attributes of senior student-athletes in four areas: community, classroom, character and competition. The award program is designed exclusively for college seniors who are utilizing their complete athletic eligibility, remaining committed to their university and pursuing the many rewards a senior season can bring.

The award is sponsored by Lowe's, an official Corporate Partner of the NCAA, and is managed by Premier Sports Management.

The 60 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists in both men's and women's basketball 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, Division I men's and women's coaches and fans who will select one finalist who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.

For more information, visit seniorCLASSaward.com or www.hamptonpirates.com.