The University of Akron Athletics
Perry and Williams Honored as 2017 Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholars
May 10 | General
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AKRON, Ohio - University of Akron sophomore Dara Perry (Akron, Ohio) of the Zips' women's track and field team and sophomore Josh Williams (Akron, Ohio) of the men's basketball squad have been named 2017 Arthur Ashe Jr., Sports Scholars.
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education sponsors the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor undergraduate students who have excelled in the classroom as well as on the athletic field. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, U.S. colleges and universities are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability and academic performance, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars demonstrate a commitment to community service and student leadership.
A year ago as a freshman, Perry captured the 100-meter hurdle title at the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championships (May 14) with a school-record time of 13.53 to earn first-team All-MAC accolades. She later went on to place 37th in the 100-meter hurdles at the NCAA East Preliminary Round (May 27) in 13.74 and was tabbed a USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree.
Earlier this season, she established a new school record en route to finishing second at the 2017 MAC Indoor Championships in the 60-meters hurdles in 8.45.
Williams contributed 7.5 points per game during the 2016-17 campaign en route to helping the Zips register a program-best 27-9 overall recordand Akron's second consecutive MAC regular-season championship and National Invitation Tournament appearance.
Williams played in 35 of the Zips' 36 games, making nine starting appearances and finished the season with a second-best 69 made three-point field goals while shooting at a 36.5 percent clip from beyond the three-point arc.
In addition to their successes on the court, Perry and Williams maintain 3.62 and 3.27 grade-point averages in psychology and sport management, respectively.
