AUSTIN, Texas – Senior forward Cassidy Perry (Frederick, Md.) of Gallaudet University was selected to the 2023-24 Academic All-America® Division III Women's Basketball First Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
Perry is one of 15 honorees named to three different teams from around the country in Division III women's basketball where over 440 schools field teams. She was the only representative from the United East Conference. Perry makes her second consecutive appearance on the CSC Academic All-America® Division III Women's Basketball teams after being selected to the second team in 2022-23. Perry is Gallaudet's only women's basketball player to earn multiple CSC Academic All-America® honors (2022-23, 2023-24). Earlier this season, Perry was named to the CSC Academic All-America® Division III Women's Volleyball Third Team.
The 15 members of the 2023-24 Academic All-America® Division III Women's Basketball teams have at least a 3.50 grade point average (GPA), with five student-athletes maintaining a perfect 4.00 GPA. The six members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.95, with the entire Division III team retaining a collective average GPA of 3.89.
Perry, a sociology major, has a 3.95 grade point average at Gallaudet, the world's only university with programs and services specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students. The deaf 5-foot-10 senior forward was the 2023-24 United East Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year for the Volt Division. Perry was one of 10 finalists for the 2023-24 Jostens Trophy, awarded to the outstanding NCAA Division III men's and women's basketball players who excel on the court, in the classroom, and in the community. The four-time all-conference honoree earned a third consecutive spot on the first team this year. She was named to the D3hoops.com All-Region Second Team for a third consecutive year. Perry earned seven United East Player of the Week honors this season, including two on the defensive side of the court, and has 19 weekly honors in her career. Perry is a four-time United East Scholar Athlete honoree and was recently named the United East Winter Senior Scholar Athlete recipient for women's basketball. Perry finished the season with 484 points, 313 rebounds, 81 assists, 55 blocks and 38 steals in 24 games played as GU posted a 17-10 team record. Perry concludes her career as the third all-time leading scorer in GU history with 1,762 points and 1,083 rebounds (second all-time).
This is the third CSC Academic All-America® honor the Gallaudet University women's basketball program has earned. In addition to Perry's two honors the other Bison honoree is Hannah Neild (2018-19), who was a first team selection and earned the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division III women's basketball. Perry joins Neild (women's soccer, women's basketball, softball) and Katie Giles Bean (women's swimming, women's track & field) to earn CSC Academic All-America® honors in multiple sports. Perry ties Neild for the most CSC Academic All-America® honors by one Gallaudet student-athlete with three.
Natalie Bruns, a two-time Academic All-America® honoree from New York University, was voted Academic All-American of the Year for Division III women's basketball. The other first team honorees include; Claire Brock (Emory), Paris Kiser (Hardin-Simmons), Elyce Knudsen (Millikin) and Kasey Schipfer (Ohio Wesleyan).
To be eligible for College Sports Communicators Academic honors, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her athletic communicator/sports information director.
Gallaudet Associate Athletic Director for Communications Sam Atkinson, a College Sports Communicators Past President, nominated Perry for this honor and has helped Gallaudet athletics increase its Academic All-America totals, ninefold, in his 14 years at the helm. Gallaudet has earned 19 Academic All-America selections in program history since the inception of the awards in 1952. Seventeen of the 19 honors have come in the last 13 years as GU earned at least one every year for six years straight (2012-17).
For more information regarding the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.
GALLAUDET'S COLLEGE SPORTS COMMUNICATORS ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA® WOMEN'S BASKETBALL HONOREES
* - Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year
Also see:
About College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® Program
College Sports Communicators (CSC) began the distinguished Academic All-America® program in 1952, and since then, has honored more than 38,000 deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America® scholar-athlete honors. Currently, CSC honors Academic All-Americans in 12 sports.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2022-23 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA national office.
For more information visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
