Sept. 18, 2012

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Taylor Kemp has been named a candidate for the 2012 Senior CLASS Award, announced Tuesday.

Kemp, a four-year starter for Maryland, has been a mainstay in the backline since his arrival in 2009. The senior captain from Highlands Ranch, Colo., was a second team All-ACC pick in 2011.

Kemp is a two-time Academic All-ACC selection, boasting a 3.303 grade point average in the challenging Robert H. Smith School of Business. He also volunteers as part of Maryland's reading program and Relay for Life.

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. The complete list of candidates follows this release.

Each of the 30 candidate classes will be narrowed to 10 finalists 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, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplify excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition.