Bruni Named Senior CLASS Award Finalist
TAMPA, FLA. April 28, 2021 – University of South Florida softball senior outfielder AnaMarie Bruni was named one of 10 finalists for the annual Senior CLASS Award.
The Senior CLASS Award is given each year to a senior at an NCAA Division I institution who is going to exhaust their eligibility at the end of the current sports season. The senior must demonstrate notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. Due to NCAA eligibility waivers for fall sports, any student-athlete who would have exhausted their eligibility this year was eligible for the award, regardless of whether they plan to return for an additional season.
The finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the 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 May 24. Fan votes will be combined with those of the media and Division I head coaches to determine the winner. You can see the whole list of finalists HERE. Bruni is the only finalist from the American Athletic Conference and you can vote for her as many times as you like HERE.
The Senior CLASS Award recipient for softball will be announced prior to the 2021 NCAA Women's College World Series® in June.
Bruni graduated magna cum laude in the Spring of 2020 with a bachelor of science in health sciences. The senior has been a member of the AAC All-Academic Team four times, earning the recognition in each of her years on campus. She has also been a regular staple on the USF Athletics Department Honor Roll, earning a spot on the list in each semester that the designation has been awarded. She is currently pursuing a post-bachelor's in communication.
Bruni has taken steps to make the most of her position as a student-athlete at USF. A participant in USF's Student-Athlete Leadership Academy, she has taken advantage of leadership experiences that supplement other opportunities as a student-athlete.
Bruni has emphasized having a role in the community while at South Florida. The senior focuses on improving the local community through her strengths, volunteering with organizations that have an athletics role in her community. She has worked with Paralympic Sport Tampa Bay and Buddy Baseball in her time at USF. Using her strengths as a student-athlete, Bruni has been able to help enable everyone to participate in sports in the Tampa Bay area.
Bruni has been one of the best competitors in Division I softball over the course of her collegiate career. As a junior in 2018, Bruni led the team in most offensive categories, including batting average (.385), slugging percentage (.503), and stolen bases (33). With her dominating season, she was named a member of the NFCA All-Region third team. Bruni was also an American Athletic Conference first team selection and one of three players to start all 60 games during the season.
In the shortened 2020 season, Bruni's dominance at the plate continued, hitting .476 through 25 games with 11 stolen bases and a 1.030 OPS. This year, she's continued her success at the plate, hitting .438 in 105 at bats with 32 stolen bases.
In USF's record book, her 33 stolen bases in 2019 tied for the most in a single-season in program history and she ranks No. 2 on the all-time program list with 93 steals in her career. Overall, the Schwenksville, Pa. native has amassed a .363 batting average with 123 runs and 45 RBIs.
About USF Softball
Be sure to follow USF softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information. The USF softball program has been one of the most successful on campus, making 15 NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Women's College World Series in 2012.Â
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