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Zags Perkins, Smith earn

scholar-athlete honors

CLEVELAND — Gonzaga’s Josh Perkins was selected to the Division I-AAA ADA Men’s Scholar Athlete Team for the second straight season.

The 10 winners of the 17th Annual Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) Scholar-Athlete Awards were announced by the DI-AAA Athletics Directors Association on Tuesday.

Perkins finished his Zags career second in NCAA Division I history with 134 wins, with only 19 losses. He played more games (153) than any other active player in the nation this season, and was one of only 15 players in NCAA D-I history to play 150 games in a career.

Perkins became Gonzaga’s all-time assist leader with 712 in his five-year stint.

Perkins completed his degree in sport management and is wrapping up his master’s degree in organizational leadership. He finished his undergraduate career with a 3.24 GPA and currently holds a 3.66 GPA in his graduate program. In each of the last two years, the Park Hill, Colo., native has received West Coast Conference All-Academic team recognition. He also earned his way onto the WCC Commissioner’s Honor roll list the past three years.

Dylan Windler, an accounting major from Belmont University, who owns a 3.74 GPA, was named the Division I-AAA ADA Men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Gonzaga women’s basketball senior Chandler Smith was named to the Division I-AAA Women’s Scholar Athlete Team for the second straight season. The 10 winners of the 17th annual Division I-AAA Athletic Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) Scholar-Athlete Awards were announced by the DI-AAA Athletic Directors Association Tuesday.

Smith, who led the Zags in minutes played for the second straight season, was previously honored this season as a WCC All-Academic Selection. She’s currently pursuing her second master’s degree in organizational leadership after having already completed her master’s in business administration and received her undergraduate degree in marketing. On the court, she averaged 9.2 points per game with 5.0 rebounds per game to rank second on the team in both categories. Smith added 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Smith is the seventh Zag to be honored with the award in program history and just the second player to have earned the award twice. Jami (Bjorklund) Schaefer was also selected back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009. Under head women’s basketball coach Lisa Fortier, Smith along with Kiara Kudron, Shelby Cheslek and Sunny Greinacher have each been named to the Division I-AAA Women’s Scholar Athlete Team.

Cecily Carl, an accounting major from American University, who owns a 3.89 GPA, was named the Division I-AAA ADA Women’s Scholar Athlete of the Year.