Well-rounded Lady Vol Davis wins DI women’s basketball CLASS award
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (BVM) — Rennia Davis is no stranger to awards. As a three-time state champion and a national champion during her time at Ribault High School in Jacksonville, Fla., a three-time All-SEC Member and a two-time AP All-America Honorable Mention, the senior Lady Vols basketball forward knows how to rack up the honors with her superior play on the court. However, Davis was recently honored with an award that recognizes more than just her play.
On March 31, Davis was announced as the recipient of the 2020-21 Senior CLASS Award in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. 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 and is given annually to the most outstanding student-athlete in Division I women’s basketball following a nationwide vote of Division I women’s basketball coaches, national basketball media and fans.
Taking home the title! 🏆
Rennia Davis has received the Senior CLASS Award for excellence in her community, the classroom, her character and competition.
Congratulations, @Legend_Hooper!
— Lady Vols Basketball (@LadyVol_Hoops) April 1, 2021
“Rennia Davis has personified the Senior CLASS Award during her four years at Tennessee,” Executive Director of the Senior CLASS Award Erik Miner said in a university press release. “She has excelled both on the court and in the classroom, as evidenced by the countless accolades she has received. Rennia has shown tremendous character by dedicating her time to better the Knoxville community. It is our honor to congratulate Rennia Davis and the University of Tennessee for winning this prestigious award.”
Davis is only the third Vols student-athlete to ever earn the honor, joining Madison Shipman and Meghan Gregg from the Vols softball program who earned their awards in 2014 and 2018, respectively. With the win, Davis is also just the third SEC player to receive the award in the women’s basketball category and the first since LSU’s Seimone Augustus did so in 2006.
“Being a student-athlete at the University of Tennessee has pushed me and required a commitment in so many areas of my life,” Davis said in a university press release. “I have embraced that challenge as a Lady Vol, and I appreciate the opportunities for growth that I have been given. By nature, I am an introvert, and I have been encouraged and empowered to step outside of my comfort zone, especially in my role as a senior on our team and as a member of the VOLeaders program. I am grateful for those experiences.”
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: classroom, community, character and competition. Davis went above and beyond and each facet.
On the court, Davis established herself as the Lady Vols top player, leading the team with 17.3 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game. In addition, Davis put up 10 double-doubles and 10 games with more than 20 points en route to All-SEC first team honors, All-American honorable mention from the AP, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
In the classroom, Davis also excelled. When she first arrived on campus in Knoxville, Davis already owned a college degree after earning her associate’s degree from Florida State College through dual enrollment classes in high school. Davis only built on that strong academic foundation during her time at Tennessee earning a degree in only three years in hotel, restaurant and tourism management with a minor in business administration and after completing that degree in May 2020, began work on a master’s in agricultural leadership, education and communications. In 2019-20, Davis earned Chancellor’s Honors for Extraordinary Academic Achievement for her work in the classroom and is a two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
In addition to her work as an individual, Davis was also chosen for the 2019-20 VOLeaders Academy which encourages student-athletes to use their athletics platform to learn how to positively impact their team, campus, and local and global communities. Davis did such in the Knoxville community as she gave over 50 hours of service in a number of different areas including being a server at the East Knoxville soup kitchen Love Kitchen, visiting sick and injured patients at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and participating with the Lady Vol basketball team at the Hoops for Hope event supporting the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.
Davis’ passion for the University of Tennessee community both on and off the court is undeniable and has spread throughout the area.
“I am pleased to see Rennia recognized for her combination of impressive achievements on the court, in the classroom, in the community and on our campus,” Lady Vol head coach Kellie Harper said. “Not only does she work extremely hard to be a strong student and one of the nation’s top basketball players, she is able to balance her time well and demonstrate a commitment to giving back to others through leadership initiatives and charitable activities. Whether it’s in professional basketball, as a potential business owner/operator or someone engaged in her community, Rennia has a very bright future and we’re all very proud of her.”
While she may be remembered most for her contributions on the court, Davis’ impact will be felt long after she leaves Knoxville. As a projected selection in this year’s WNBA Draft, Davis will also have plenty of opportunities to continue adding to her impressive list of accomplishments.
#ZEROout! love y’all🧡 pic.twitter.com/bzlfRdfbry
— Rennia Davis. (@Legend_Hooper) April 1, 2021
