BEAUMONT, Texas – Senior Shannon Klaus has been named 2020 NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-American announced organization officials Thursday morning. Klaus' honor comes just 48 hours after Cardinals football players Tamatoa Neher and Case Robinson and volleyball standout Erin Pequeno received the honor.
 
"Shannon is a leader in the weight room and has taken pride in that," said LU head coach Amy Hooks. "She has set a lot of personal and team records in the weight room. Our kids look up to her and follow her lead. The work that takes place in the weight room is just another part of being a student-athlete and she has always taken a very serious approach in the weight room – not a lot of athletes get recognized for this."
 
Klaus was one of many student-athletes who had their 2020 season cut short when the Southland Conference – following the NCAA's lead – ended the remainder of the spring season due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Prior to the outbreak, Klaus had played in and started 14 games and ranked among the team leaders in hitting. Klaus was batting .351 with three triples and two doubles.
 
A three-year letterwinner for the Red and White, Klaus played in 125 games during her career earning 124 starts. She garnered second-team All-Southland Conference honors following her junior campaign. The Cardinals won nine games in 2020 before the season was ended.
 
"I think this is something that Shannon will cherish for a very long time," said Hooks. "Outside of our strength and conditioning coaches, this is work that has to be done when no one is watching – it takes place away from the field or classroom. It is a pretty special honor for her, even more so knowing her season was taken away."
 
"I'm going to create adverse situations, so when our student-athletes think they can't do one more rep and then they overcome it that will eventually extend onto the practice field and into games. Once they start to believe in themselves then they will impart that same belief to their teammates and help bring them along," added LU Strength and Conditioning Coach Dan Darcy.