Organizers of the Senior CLASS award -- an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School and an honor that's presented to the outstanding male and female senior NCAA Division I basketball player -- have announced the 10 finalists for the 2002-03 season.

Vanderbilt (Chantelle Anderson and Ashley McElhiney) and Tennessee (Gwen Jackson and Kara Lawson) each had two representatives named to the list.

The group also includes Coretta Brown (North Carolina), Courtney Coleman (Ohio State), Cheryl Ford (Louisiana Tech), Jocelyn Penn (South Carolina), Plenette Pierson (Texas Tech) and LaToya Thomas (Mississippi State).

The finalists were selected from an initial list of 30 candidates by a national committee of sportswriters and sportscasters who cover Division I college basketball. Selection is based on performance in the current season. The winners will be selected by voting from the national media committee and Division I coaches, as well as fan balloting at the award's website, www.seniorclassaward.com.

The Senior CLASS Award was launched prior to the 2001-02 college basketball season. The initial idea came from CBS sportscaster Dick Enberg, who now serves as Honorary Chairman of the award. The winners of the inaugural award were Juan Dixon of Maryland and Sue Bird of Connecticut. Both first-year recipients led their respective team to the national championship. Shane Battier, who inspired the inception of the award by his compelling senior season at Duke, received an Honorary Senior CLASS Award.