Townsend a finalist for CLASS award

Gonzaga senior guard Jill Townsend is one of 10 finalists nationwide for the women’s basketball Senior CLASS Award, sponsor Premier Sports Management, announced Monday.

To be eligible for the award, student-athletes must be classified as NCAA Division I seniors and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.

Townsend, the reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Year, leads the Zags in scoring at 13.2 points per contest, shooting 48.0% from the floor and ranks third in rebounding at 4.9 per game.

The Omak, Washington, native has three double-doubles this season), and on Jan. 24 she became the 24th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points.

Townsend is working toward her B.A. in biology and has spent nearly 60 hours assisting the Spokane community.

The finalists were chosen by a committee from a list of 30 candidates announced earlier this season.

Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to submit votes online at the Senior CLASS Award website through March 22.

Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winners. The winners will be announced during the NCAA Final Four.

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 platforms to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

Townsend is one of only two finalists from west of the Mississippi; the other is UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere.

The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 women’s candidates announced earlier in the season.