Eason-Riddle Named a Candidate for the Senior Class Award

University of South Carolina linebacker Spencer Eason-Riddle is one of 30 NCAA^® football bowl subdivision student-athletes selected as candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award^®, it was announced today.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior or graduate student and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
 
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. 
 
Eason-Riddle, a 6-0, 230-pounder from Raleigh, N.C., owns two degrees from the University. He graduated in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in public health and earned his master’s degree in health services policy and management in May 2021. He has been a regular at the Dorn VA Medical Center and the oncology center of the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital among other community service endeavors. Eason-Riddle founded and developed the “Sandstorm Buddies Program” which matches student-athletes with cancer patients and their families, where they can serve in a mentor capacity. He also spearheaded a shoe drive in 2021, asking fellow student-athletes and staff to donate lightly worn shoes and cleats to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands so they can be used by area middle or high school students. On the field, the former walk-on earned a scholarship and became a vital part of the Carolina special teams unit, while also overcoming a pair of season-ending knee injuries.
 
The 30 candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists later in the 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 candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. 
 
The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during football bowl season in December.
 
For more information on each of the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.