OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – Marist Women's Basketball captains Alana Gilmer and Rebekah Hand have been selected as candidates for the 2019-20 Senior CLASS Award, the organization announced on Friday.
 
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. 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.
 
Hand, a senior majoring in Biology, was recognized on the 2018 and 2019 MAAC All-Academic Teams. On the court, she ranks second all-time in program history with 1,706 career points at time of writing. She also ranks second in free throw percentage, fourth in points per game, field goals, field goal percentage, and three-pointers, fifth in made free throws made, and ninth in rebounds. In the 2019-20 campaign, the shooting guard is averaging a career-best 18.1 points per game on a 51.7 field goal percentage.

During her time at Marist, Hand has participated in many community service ventures with Clinton Elementary School, Girl Scout Samplers, Special Olympics, Hunger Banquet, Hunger Walk, Campus Ministry Christmas donations, MAAC Gives Back Pen Pal program with local schools in Albany, NY, the Friends of Jaclyn ice cream socials, and continuous visits to the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie, NY.
 
Gilmer, a redshirt senior currently studying Integrated Marketing and Communication in the Master's program at Marist, received her undergraduate degree in Business Administration/Finance in May of 2019. In her two-plus seasons in a Marist uniform, she ranks third all-time in points per game, sixth in field goal percentage, and ninth in field goals. The MAAC and MBWA Division I Player of the Week for January 13 sports a 17.6 scoring average with a 52.8 shooting clip.

Outside of Marist, Gilmer has participated in various community service initiatives such as Clinton Elementary School visits, Girl Scout Samplers, Special Olympics, Hunger Banquet, Hunger Walk, Campus Ministry Christmas donations, MAAC Gives Back Pen Pal program, Friends of Jaclyn ice cream socials, and continuous visits to the Children's Home of Poughkeepsie.
 
The men's and women's candidates will be narrowed to two fields of 10 finalists in February, and those 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 male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C's of community, classroom, character and competition.