AUSTIN, Texas – Drake women's basketball star racked up another All-America honor on Tuesday morning, but this time for her academic prowess. Dinnebier was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America team, the organization announced today.
Dinnebier, another pharmacy student, has a 3.74 GPA in her last year at Drake. She was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team and earned her second straight Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year award. Dinnebier was also an MVC Scholar-Athlete selection last season. One of the most prolific players in program history, Dinnebier had a historic senior season with an average of 23.4 points, 7.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals while shooting .500 from the field, .396 from 3-point range, and .804 from the charity stripe. Dinnebier was one of two Bulldogs eligible for CSC Academic All-America honors along with senior forward Anna Miller.
Dinnebier was joined by CSC Academic All-America Team Member of the Year Kiki Iriafen of USC, Sara Ashlee Barker of Alabama, Raegan Beers of Oklahoma, Peyton McDaniel of James Madison, and Kiki Rice of UCLA on the Division I list.
A guard from Los Angeles, Iriafen has been named the Academic All-America® of the Year for Division I. The senior guard carries a 3.54 GPA while pursuing her graduate degree in entrepreneurship and innovation, after earning an undergraduate degree in design engineering with a 3.52 GPA. She led the Trojans to the program's first regular-season conference title since 1994, their highest AP ranking since 1984, and an NCAA Elite Eight appearance. She was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-America Team, in addition to being named to the AP and United States Basketball Writers Association All-America Third Teams. Iriafen was also a unanimous selection to the 2025 All-Big Ten First Team. She finished the season with 12 double-doubles and averaged 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 49 percent from the floor. She ranked 15th in the nation with 4.1 offensive rebounds per game and 37th with 142 free throws made. Iriafen's other national honors include the Wade Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List, Wooden Award Watch List, and is a repeat finalist for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year award.
Three of the 15 members of the Academic All-America® Division I women's basketball teams boast a perfect 4.0 GPA in their undergraduate work or graduate school. The six members of the first team have an average GPA of 3.72, with the entire Division I team holding a collective average GPA of 3.79.
Four student-athletes were repeat selection on the Academic All-America® Division I team. Oklahoma's Beers and Yvonne Ejim of Gonzaga University earned second team honors last season, while Morgan Maly of Creighton University earned third team honors. Lauren Ross of Purdue Fort Wayne was a third team honoree during the 2022-23 season.