Outstanding student athletes in the Big 12 Conference have a new opportunity to be honored this year.

Budget Rent-a-Car is sponsoring an annual award recognizing seniors in the Big 12 Conference as part of its recent appointment as the conference’s official car and truck rental company.

The Budget AwardsPlus Sportsmanship Award will commend two student athletes from each of the 12 universities, one male and one female.

They will be nominated by the sports information director of their school for sportsmanship and integrity on and off the field.

At Iowa State, Tom Kroeschell, director of athletic media relations, will be determining the nominees based on guidelines established by Budget Rent-a-Car.

He said the criteria for the award has more to do with the students’ attitudes off the field than their performances on the field.

“A lot of what this award is based on would be difficult for a fan to get a perspective on,” Kroeschell said.

The two winners will be determined according to the standards set forth in the Amateur Athletic Union’s Athletic Code of Honor.

“The qualities are more easily measured on a day-to-day basis,” Kroeschell said.

In order to be nominated for the award, an athlete must be a full-time student, classified as a senior with a minimum 2.00 grade-point average.

He or she must also have lettered in his or her sport. Athletes in any varsity sport are eligible.

“The award is based on their whole athletic careers,” Susan Welty, from Budget’s national headquarters, said.

As another feature of its designation as the Big 12’s official car and truck rental company, Budget will offer special privileges to alumni, team supporters and friends.

“We will periodically advertise special offers and rates including great discounts on daily rentals to alumni, and we also offer a frequent renter program,” Welty said.

The AwardsPlus program, which is offered to alumni and supporters, provides benefits such as free upgrades after one rental, free one-day rental certificates after four rentals and other coupon offers, Welty said.

This program will not directly benefit most students because drivers must be at least 21 years old with a major credit card or 25 years old without a major credit card to rent cars.

ISU’s nominees for the Budget AwardsPlus Sportsmanship Award will be announced in about two weeks, Kroeschell said.

The nominees will receive individual plaques, which will be presented at a home football game this fall.

Two overall winners will be determined from the nominees of each Big 12 school.

They will be announced in a Budget advertisement in the USA Today in conjunction with National Sportsmanship Day, celebrated on March 3.

They will also have their names inscribed on traveling trophies which will reside at their respective schools until the following year’s winners are announced.