Texas Tech starting pitcher Brian Cloud is transitioning from the bullpen where he originally began this season to a starting pitcher who will pitch tonight against Kansas.
But the senior double major in general business and business management also is set for a transition into life after his baseball career is over.
"For me, it's a big deal," Cloud said. "A lot of people can get tangled in college sports and kind of look beyond the academic field. You can't play sports forever, so the ability to get a good education and the opportunities at Texas Tech, you can't beat it. It's something I wanted to take advantage of."
Cloud was named one of the 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Wednesday as one of college baseball's most outstanding senior student-athletes. The 10 finalists were chosen by a media committee from a field of 30 baseball players nominated earlier in the season.
The Senior CLASS Award celebrates senior student-athletes who demonstrate excellence in the classroom. CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, and the award is sponsored by Lowe's Hardware. It is presented to senior athletes in nine collegiate sports.
Cloud is the only Tech athlete in any sport ever to be nominated for the award, which has been in existence in baseball since 2007.
"It's a great honor for me to represent my university, the athletic program and the baseball team as well as myself," Cloud said. "It's an honor, a privilege, and I'm tickled to death to be in the final 10."
Cloud, a Lubbock Cooper High School graduate, said he is considering attending graduate school and study personal financial planning at Tech after weighing his options at the end of this season.
Tech coach Dan Spencer said there is no one more deserving for the award than Cloud.
"He's a quiet kid," he said, "but he really leads by example. He takes care of his business. Being a responsible kid with talent lends us in the situation we're in to pitch him (today)."
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