LAKE MARY, FL — University of La Verne star guard Clarissa Perez has been named to the USA D3 Women's Basketball team for the 2018 Brazil Tour, USA Sports Tours & Events Director Ron Smith announced. The team is made up of invited NCAA Division III basketball players from throughout the country.
"This is an outstanding group of basketball players that come from 12 different states and 14 different colleges and universities from across the United States," said Smith. "We feel that we have some of the best of the best representing almost every region in the country. These players have been high achievers both on the court and in the classroom. They represent everything good that the NCAA Division III institutions have to offer."
The women's team along with the USA D3 Men's Basketball team will travel to Brazil later this month to play four games against top club teams.
"I was really excited when I received the invitation," said Perez. "I knew when I decided to go to La Verne it would open up opportunities for me and this tour is an amazing example of those opportunities. This will be my first trip out of the country so I'm eager to see how some of the people in Brazil live and play basketball. It mean's a lot that I get to represent the University of La Verne, my team, and my family. I'm just full of excitement."
The teams will begin their tour on July 17 with a practice in Jundiai before opening up competition the next day against the Jundiai U22 teams. The following day the teams will head to Sao Paulo where the women's team will face off against the Santa Andre Club PRO team, a member of the 1st Division Professional League, while the men play the Santa Andre Men's U22 team.
Next, the squads will head to Rio De Janeiro for games against the Queimados club team on July 22, followed by the final game of the tour on July 23 against Fluminese Clube.
In addition to their games, the teams will experience educational, cultural, and social aspects of Brazilian life through city, school and sports club visits. While in Rio, the team will be staying on the famous Copacabana Beach and tour the Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugarloaf Mountain.
Perez had an incredible season in her first year with the Leopards. The rising senior led the SCIAC and ranked second in the nation with 24.1 points per game on her way to earning First Team All-SCIAC honors. She also ranked in the top five in the conference in total assists, steals, and three-pointers made. Perez scored double figures in all but three games and finished with at least 30 points on eight occasions.
2018 USA D-3 Women's Basketball Team - Brazil Tour
| Claire Cromer | Hanover College |
| Laura Hamilton | Luther College |
| Madeline Homoly | Washington University in St. Louis |
| Morgan Instone | Juniata College |
| Claire Marburger | Luther College |
| Natalie Orr | Washington University in St. Louis |
| Clarissa Perez | University of La Verne |
| Kendall Rollins | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor |
| Hannah Spaulding | University of St. Thomas |
| Makana Stone | Whitman College |
| Head Coach | Amanda Bailey (Head Coach, Luther College) |
| Assistant Coach | Tayler Jenks (Assistant Coach, Luther College) |
Tentative Game Schedule
Wednesday, July 18
USA D-3 Women vs. Jundiai
USA D-3 Men vs. Jundiai
Thursday, July 19
USA D-3 Women vs. Santa Andre
USA D-3 Men vs. Santa Andre
Sunday, July 22
USA D-3 Women vs. Queimados
USA D-3 Men vs. Queimados
Monday, July 23
USA D-3 Women vs. Fluminese
USA D-3 Men vs. Fluminese
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