QUEENS, N.Y. – In the midst of a stellar season both on and off the diamond, St. John's utility player
John Valente has been named one of the 10 finalists nationwide for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award, it was announced this morning by the organization.
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 award recognizes four key components: community, classroom, character and competition.
On the diamond, Valente has been having yet another standout campaign in 2018, leading the BIG EAST with a .386 batting average and pacing the team with 28 RBIs. Led by Valente’s example, the Johnnies are currently in the midst of a 12-game winning streak and are off to their best start in BIG EAST play since 1991.
Off the field, the New Rochelle native continues to be a shining example of the ideal St. John’s student athlete. After graduating this past spring with a bachelor’s degree in sport management, Valente currently sports a 4.0 graduate GPA in international communication. In the community, Valente has been active in a number of service projects with his teammates aimed at helping the less fortunate.
Finalists were chosen by national media from a list of 30 candidates announced in March. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner. Fans are encouraged to vote on the Senior CLASS Award website through May 28. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches’ votes to determine the winner. This year’s Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2018 College World Series® in June.