Mississippi University for Women junior forward Thomas Wright has been named as a United States Collegiate Athletics Association honorable mention All-American for men’s basketball.
Also, teammate Grayson Long was voted onto the USCAA 2021-22 All-Academic Team.
Wright, a junior forward from Pensacola, Florida, joined The W midseason and was a force in the Owls’ final 11 games, leading the team in scoring (15.8 points per game) and rebounding (5.8 per game). Wright’s field goal percentage of 77.1 would have been the best in the nation if he had participated in the required 75 percent of games.
“What is there to say when it comes to Thomas Wright that we haven’t already said this past season?” Owls coach Dean Burrows asked rhetorically. “We knew what we were getting in him as far as the ‘athlete’ piece goes based off of what he did in his time at NJCAA Division 1 Bishop State in Alabama.”
Wright, Burrows’ first official recruit at The W, scored in double digits in nine of the 11 games in which he played, including 29 points at home on Feb. 12 against Arkansas Baptist College. In that Owls’ win, he was 12 of 14 from the floor.
“While his numbers speak volumes to his skill and talent, what sets Thomas apart is his uncommon work ethic, being a great teammate, as well as the strong desire to be coached and grow,” Burrows said. “This not only applies to on the court but off the court, as well.
“At the end of the day, it’s his character and the young man that he is that makes us most proud. We are ecstatic about the honor that Thomas has brought to himself, his family, our program and our university.”
Wright is just the second Owls player to earn USCAA All-America accolades. He joins Keith Harris, who was an honorable mention choice in 2019-20.
Long, a guard from Haleyville, Alabama, is in his second year with the Owls. He is a legal studies major at The W. To be eligible for the USCAA All-Academic Team, student-athletes must be a sophomore academically and have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or better.
“As much as we are excited by the news of Thomas’ being named an All-American, we are as equally excited in receiving word that Grayson was named USCAA All-Academic,” Burrows said. “For us, being referred to as a ‘great teammate’ is the ultimate, and he epitomizes that on and off the court.
“As we continue our progression into full-time NCAA Division III status, our program’s standard includes having our guys being in contention for academic honors, and Grayson has spearheaded that campaign.”
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