A Season of Excellence
Asher Cai, a senior guard for Central Washington University’s women’s basketball team, has been crowned the 2025–26 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Year, a testament to a career that has redefined scoring in the league.
Cai enters the record books as the conference’s all‑time leading scorer with 2,257 points, having set new marks for field goals made (746) and three‑point baskets (290). Her precision was on full display when she went a perfect 14‑for‑14 from the free‑throw line in a single game, matching a single‑game record that underscores her composure under pressure.
During the NCAA Tournament she posted a career‑high 48 points, pulling down 11 rebounds, dishing out six assists, and adding a block and five steals, a performance that propelled her team deep into the competition and drew praise from coaches and analysts alike.
Beyond the hardwood, Cai was recognized as a College Sports Communicators Academic All‑American and earned a WBCA First Team All‑American nod, highlighting her balance of athletic excellence and scholarly achievement.
This season she averaged 22.2 points per game, finishing with 710 total points while also contributing 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per contest. She shot 43.1 percent from the field, 35.5 percent beyond the arc, and an impressive 87.6 percent from the line, numbers that place her among the most efficient scorers in Division II.
Her impact extended to the record books when she matched her career high of 37 points on two separate occasions, each time reinforcing her reputation as a clutch performer. As she looks ahead, Cai’s legacy continues to inspire teammates and future generations of student‑athletes at Central Washington.