Tampa, Fla. -- It’s not every day you do something in a game that lands on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays. But making highlight-reel worthy catches is pretty routine for USF’s AnaMarie Bruni.

“I want to think that right now she’s probably been on ESPN like six or seven times in her career,” said USF head softball coach Ken Eriksen. “How many people get to do that?”

“It’s a surreal experience to be honest with you,” said Bruni. “Growing up, I loved watching sports, seeing the Top 10 every morning with my dad. It’s an awesome honor and I’m just thankful I can make those plays for my team and it’s recognized by others."

But Bruni is more than just a defensive wizard. She’s also a hitting machine. Over the past three seasons, Bruni has led the Bulls in both batting average and hits.

“When Ana first got here she was a raw, raw athlete and she bought in. She bought into player development and put her ego aside to play the slap game,” said Eriksen.

“For me it was really my freshman and sophomore years that were my learning years,” said Bruni. “I had to make a lot of changes with my footwork when slapping. I’ve felt that I just try to buy into what we do here at USF and that’s helped me find my groove every year.”

It’s easy to see that Bruni is a terrific athlete, but what you won’t find in a box score or on a highlight reel is that she’s an even better person. The Bulls senior regularly volunteers for multiple organizations throughout the Tampa Bay area.

“I think my favorite one was Paralympic swimming and that was so much fun cause I had never done that in my life before and I thought I was just going to be overseeing stuff but I actually got to go in the water with the kids and it was the most humbling experience. Then then I did some planting, there’s this garden in Seminole Heights. We dug stuff up and it just reminded me of when I’d visit my grandfather’s and we’d pick honeysuckles. Doing stuff outside to bring someone else happiness brings me a lot of happiness.”

Much like her sensational diving grabs, Bruni’s impact off the field didn’t go unnoticed. She was named one of 10 finalists for the annual Senior CLASS Award, which is given every year to a senior student-athlete who excels in their sport, in the classroom and in the community.

“It’s a testament to her character, it’s a testament to the impact on her teammates, on her graduating class. She’s been a great teammate,” said Eriksen.

“I’m just very thankful for the opportunity to be recognized. Whether I win or not I don’t really see that as a loss because I’m still going to do those things whether I’m nominated or not."

Whether it’s in the community or on diamond, AnaMarie Bruni is always there to lend a helping hand.