Stacie Townsend (Image: Jeff Taylor)

EL PASO, Texas – UTEP softball’s Stacie Townsend was among 12 student-athletes to receive the Conference USA Spirit of Service Award announced the league’s commissioner, Britton Banowsky, on Wednesday.

The C-USA Spirit of Service Award is designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league’s student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport.

Townsend, who was also recognized a year ago, volunteered at over 12 organizations throughout the El Paso area, her hometown of Orlando, Fla. and overseas.

Townsend spent time helping The Miracle League with children who have mental and physical disabilities and assisted them in playing and participating in sporting events. She also volunteered for the YWCA After School program and the YWCA El Paso Del Norte and the Junior Women’s club of El Paso.

An integral part of the softball team’s success, Townsend re-wrote the UTEP recordbooks this season with her stellar pitching and hitting performances. She was named to the NFCA All-Midwest Region, an All-Conference USA first team selection and was named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Athlete of the Week and a four-time C-USA Player of the Week honoree in 2010.

A recent recipient of the C-USA Postgraduate Scholarship, Townsend boasts a 4.0 GPA in the graduate program at UTEP, pursuing a master’s degree in business. She was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team and is a three-time C-USA All-Academic selection.