Perkins Named Senior CLASS Award Candidate
11/30/2018 9:51:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Zags’ redshirt senior recognized for efforts on and off of the court
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Gonzaga men's basketball student-athlete Josh Perkins was named a candidate for the 2018-19 Senior CLASS Award Friday.
Sixty NCAA men's and women's basketball student-athletes who excel both on and off the court were selected as candidates for the 2018-19 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate basketball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of candidates follows this release.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Perkins completed his degree in Sport Management and is currently pursuing his master's degree in Organizational Leadership in his final year of eligibility. Perkins finished his undergraduate career with an impressive 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.
Since his freshman season, Perkins has been actively involved in all team community outreach activities and helping to get his teammates involved in the Spokane area. He has participated in Habitat for Humanity building houses, visited the local VA Hospital and spent time with veterans, and served multiple meals at the local Union Gospel Mission. In addition to these opportunities, Perkins has spent a day each summer at Camp Goodtimes, a camp for children diagnosed with cancer, brightening the lives of those going through tough times. This past summer, he was given an honorary Camp Counselor t-shirt and his own nick-name—a true sign of admiration from the camp from his impact on the children over the past several years while at Gonzaga.
On the court, Perkins was named to the preseason Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List. He leads the nation with a total of 56 assists so far this season. His 8.3 assists per game ranks fourth in the country and tops the conference. Through seven games, he has thrown 56 assists to only 16 turnovers. Perkins also has a team-high 12 steals and is averaging 11.4 points per game. During the Maui Invitational, the redshirt senior averaged 8.3 assists and 12.3 points per game.
Among the 60 candidates, all are in excellent academic standing with 13 having grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher. Twenty-five athletes are returning to the court this season after receiving All-America honors, and 54 of the candidates earned all-conference honors for their performances a year ago. Each of the candidates also volunteers his or her time with charitable organizations and causes while upholding a reputation for positive character on campus and in the community.
The men's and women's candidates will be narrowed to two fields of 10 finalists in February, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C's of community, classroom, character and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2019 NCAA Men's Final Four® and NCAA Women's Final Four® this spring. For more information on each of the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
Perkins' former teammate, Przemek Karnowski was named to the Senior CLASS All-American team in 2016-17, while Johnathan Williams was on the All-American Second Team last season. Gonzaga and Lehigh are the only two programs two have a candidate in each of the past three seasons.
In their first true road game of the season, the No. 1/1 Zags (7-0) visit Creighton Saturday.
MEN'S BASKETBALL CANDIDATES:
Sixty NCAA men's and women's basketball student-athletes who excel both on and off the court were selected as candidates for the 2018-19 Senior CLASS Award in collegiate basketball. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of candidates follows this release.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School ®, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Perkins completed his degree in Sport Management and is currently pursuing his master's degree in Organizational Leadership in his final year of eligibility. Perkins finished his undergraduate career with an impressive 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.
Since his freshman season, Perkins has been actively involved in all team community outreach activities and helping to get his teammates involved in the Spokane area. He has participated in Habitat for Humanity building houses, visited the local VA Hospital and spent time with veterans, and served multiple meals at the local Union Gospel Mission. In addition to these opportunities, Perkins has spent a day each summer at Camp Goodtimes, a camp for children diagnosed with cancer, brightening the lives of those going through tough times. This past summer, he was given an honorary Camp Counselor t-shirt and his own nick-name—a true sign of admiration from the camp from his impact on the children over the past several years while at Gonzaga.
On the court, Perkins was named to the preseason Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Watch List. He leads the nation with a total of 56 assists so far this season. His 8.3 assists per game ranks fourth in the country and tops the conference. Through seven games, he has thrown 56 assists to only 16 turnovers. Perkins also has a team-high 12 steals and is averaging 11.4 points per game. During the Maui Invitational, the redshirt senior averaged 8.3 assists and 12.3 points per game.
Among the 60 candidates, all are in excellent academic standing with 13 having grade-point averages of 3.5 or higher. Twenty-five athletes are returning to the court this season after receiving All-America honors, and 54 of the candidates earned all-conference honors for their performances a year ago. Each of the candidates also volunteers his or her time with charitable organizations and causes while upholding a reputation for positive character on campus and in the community.
The men's and women's candidates will be narrowed to two fields of 10 finalists in February, and those names will be placed on the official ballot. Ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select one male candidate and one female candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the four C's of community, classroom, character and competition.
The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2019 NCAA Men's Final Four® and NCAA Women's Final Four® this spring. For more information on each of the candidates, visit seniorCLASSaward.com.
Perkins' former teammate, Przemek Karnowski was named to the Senior CLASS All-American team in 2016-17, while Johnathan Williams was on the All-American Second Team last season. Gonzaga and Lehigh are the only two programs two have a candidate in each of the past three seasons.
In their first true road game of the season, the No. 1/1 Zags (7-0) visit Creighton Saturday.
MEN'S BASKETBALL CANDIDATES:
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