MACON, Ga. – Mercer University senior Dimitri Kourtis has been named one of 30 baseball candidates for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award.

This marks the second straight year that the Mercer baseball program has had a candidate for the award, as former Bears outfielder Derrick Workman was recognized as a candidate last season.

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.

The Southern Conference’s lone representative on the list, Kourtis has been a four-year standout as a member of the Bears’ pitching staff. The 6-foot-2 right-hander is a three-time all-conference selection who has established himself as one of the elite pitchers in the South with 18 victories, 17 saves and a career ERA of 2.67. Kourtis, who is just four saves away from eclipsing Andrew Urena as Mercer’s career leader, owns a 2-1 record with one save while posting a 2.66 ERA this season.

Kourtis, a sports management major, has been heavily involved in Mercer’s community-service efforts during his four years on campus, leading multiple projects throughout the season. Over the past year alone, he has helped spearhead initiatives with the Ronald McDonald House and the Children’s Hospital of Macon while also assisting with the Bears’ annual projects at Brookdale Elementary and with Middle Georgia’s Miracle League.

The 30 candidates 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 candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four Cs of community, classroom, character and competition. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the 2015 College World Series in June.