Kansas safety Fish Smithson (9) pulls in an interception in the end zone during the third quarter on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016 at Memorial Stadium.

A standout defender for the Kansas football team, senior safety Fish Smithson has earned recognition for his off-the-field abilities, as well. Smithson became one of 30 NCAA FBS student-athletes nominated for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award.

Nominees for the (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) honor are chosen for their excellence in four categories: community, classroom, character and competition. A regular contributor in KU football’s community service activities, Smithson this past spring made both the Big 12 Commissioner and Athletic Director honor rolls.

The 5-foot-11 senior from Baltimore, Md., enters this week’s game at Baylor leading the Jayhawks in total tackles (24). Smithson also has four pass breakups and two interceptions.

Last season, Smithson led the nation with 7.9 solo tackles a game, earning All-Big 12 second-team honors.

The 30 Senior CLASS Award candidates will be narrowed to 10 finalists during the regular season, and those 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. The 10 finalists will be awarded Senior CLASS Award first- or second-team honors.

Another Jayhawks defensive back, former KU corner JaCorey Shepherd, became a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award in 2014, and made the second team.

Smithson is one of four players from the Big 12 to be named a candidate, joining Oklahoma’s Jordan Evans and West Virginia’s Skyler Howard and Tyler Orlosky.

This year, the Senior CLASS Award also will honor deceased Nebraska student-athlete Sam Foltz by making him an honorary candidate. The 2015 Big Ten Punter of the Year and a preseason candidate for the Ray Guy Award, Foltz was killed in an automobile accident on July 23, after attending a kicking camp in Wisconsin.