AUSTIN, Texas --- Tusculum University's Jami Tham has been named to the NCAA Division II Academic All-America® Women's Basketball first team as selected by the College Sports Communicators.
Tham becomes the first DII Academic All-American® in program history. The graduate student from Arlington, Virginia has a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average while at Tusculum. She graduated from Barton College with summa cum laud honors and a 3.91 undergraduate GPA while majoring in exercise science. She is a member of the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll and is a three-time recipient of the Division II Athletic Directors Academic Achievement Award.
In her first and only season at Tusculum, Tham averaged 17.6 points and 13.3 rebounds per game for the Pioneers, earning first team D2CCA All-Southeast Region and All-South Atlantic Conference first team honors. She led the league and ranks third in Division II in rebounding, and also led the SAC in field goal percentage at 51.9 percent (202-for-416). Tham leads Division II with a SAC-record 26 double-doubles in 29 games, including a streak of 22 straight to open the season.
Tham was third in the SAC in scoring average and scored in double figures in 28 of the Pioneers' 29 games, with eight games of 20 points or more. She scored a season-high 31 points against Mars Hill on Dec. 10 and grabbed a season-best 20 rebounds against Emory & Henry on Dec. 14. Tham, a two-time SAC Player of the Week, also led the conference in made free throws (102) and ranks second in Division II in total rebounds with 385.
Her 13.3 rebounds per game average is the third-highest in a season in SAC history and second-best in program history behind the 14.6 rebounds per game of Maddie Sutton during the 2020-21 season. Tham, whose 26 double-doubles are tied for third-most in a season in Division II history, is the first Pioneer to earn D2CCA All-Region honors since Mia Long in 2019-20.
Tham, who was second-team D2CCA All-Southeast Region last year at Barton, finished her collegiate career with 1,661 points and 1,210 rebounds in 129 games. She currently ranks second among active Division II players in career rebounds and in career double-doubles with 59.
The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
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 2022-2023 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs.
CSC Division II Academic All-America Women's Basketball Team
FIRST TEAM
Madison Frederick, Nova Southeastern
Jalei Oglesby, Arkansas Tech
Brooke Olson, Minnesota Duluth
Samantha Pirosko, Gannon
Jami Tham, Tusculum
SECOND TEAM
Hannah Belanger, Truman State
Kaylee DaMitz-Holt, Drury
Sage Hawley, Harding
Jaclyn Jarnot, West Florida
Annie Roshak, Ashland
Braelyn Wykle, Carson-Newman
THIRD TEAM
Paige Emborsky, Daemen
Chloe Idoni, Ferris State
Leah Johnson, West Chester
Audrey Ramsey, Tampa
Kaitlyn Zarycki, Saginaw Valley State
College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Brooke Olson, Minnesota Duluth
