FAIRFAX, Va. (April 12, 2024) – Washington State women's basketball senior Charlisse Leger-Walker was named Second Runner Up for the 2024 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year award.

The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar award has a decades-long tradition of recognizing outstanding, young minority men and women who have distinguished themselves in their academic and athletic pursuits.

"Charlisse truly exemplifies what it means to be an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar," said Nick Garner, Assistant Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Experience at WSU. "She is a legend on the court, but she means so much more than that to our department and community. From being an engaged student-athlete leader in a variety of roles to seeking out opportunities to be a role model in our Pullman community, Charlisse has impacted each person that she has met as a Coug."

On the court this season, she recorded the first two triple-doubles of her collegiate career on her way to scoring 278 points, and tallying 107 assists and 137 rebounds before suffering a season-ending injury in January. All-time at WSU, she currently ranks third in career points (1,743), fourth in scoring average (16.6), fourth in made field goals (607), second in made threes (199), fifth in made free throws (330), and fourth in assists (389).

In addition to their athletic ability, those named 2024 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars are students of color who have maintained at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average, are at least sophomores academically, and have been active on their campuses or in their communities. Of the nearly 600 scholar-athletes nominated, one male and one female athlete will be selected as Sports Scholar of the Year.

2024 Female Winner: Olivia Womack, University of Mississippi,  track/cross country

• Gabi Albiero, University of Louisville, swimming and diving (1st Runner Up)
• Charlisse Leger-Walker, Washington State University, basketball (2nd Runner Up)
• Madison Scott, University of Mississippi, basketball (3rd Runner Up)

2024 Male Winner: Darius Robinson, University of Missouri, football

• Myles Collins, Georgia Institute of Technology, track/cross country (1st Runner Up)
• Chase Griffin, UCLA, football (2nd Runner Up)
• Marcus Caldeira, West Virginia University, soccer (3rd Runner Up)

The 2023 overall winners were Lyle Yost from The Ohio State University and Camber Hayes of Miami University. Other past Arthur Ashe Scholars have included the University of Wisconsin's Russell Wilson (2011), the University of Tennessee's Kara Lawson (2003), San Diego State University's Marshall Faulk (1993), and Stanford University's Simone Manuel (2017), to name a few who have gone on to achieve great success.