Sept. 30, 2003

Columbia, S.C. –

Tom Perry, senior associate athletics director at the University of South Carolina, has been named the NCAA Division 1-A CHAMPS Administrator of the Year, signified by his receiving the Dr. Gene Hooks Award Monday at the annual Division 1-A Athletic Directors’ meeting in Dallas, Texas.

The recipient is recognized for his exemplary contribution to the 1-A CHAMPS program over a five-year period. Perry has headed up USC’s CARES/Life-Skills program since he came to USC prior to the 1999 school year. Before that, Perry was the Associate AD and Director of Student-Athlete Support Services for six years at Syracuse University.

This national award is named for Dr. Gene Hooks, who was the first Division 1-A Athletic Directors’ Association Executive Director. In 1992, Dr. Hooks spearheaded the movement to bring “CHallenging Athletes Minds for Personal Success to reality through a series of actions which propelled the program nationwide across Division 1-A college campuses.

Also on Monday, USC’s life-skills program was recognized as being a CHAMPS Program of Excellence by the Division 1-A Athletics Directors’ Association.