Jen Perugini is the only player in YSU women’s basketball history to score more than 1,000 points, grab over 900 rebounds and block at least 100 shots.
Perugini, a standout center for the Penguins from 2001-02 through 2004-05, finished her career with 1,202 points scored which ranks 13th in school history and was the 11th most by a player at that time in YSU history. She grabbed 905 rebounds, which is now fifth best and her 107 blocks rank her fourth all-time. Perguini played in 109 games for the Penguins and was in the starting lineup on 86 occasions.
A native of Sault Saint Marie, Ontario, she averaged 11.0 points per game and 8.3 rebounds a contest during her career. On three occasions she grabbed at least 20 rebounds in a game, while had at least 10-or-more caroms in a game 37 times.
She was 477-of-1,125 from the field (42.4 percent), 37-of-112 from beyond the 3-point arc and 211-of-259 from the free-throw line (81.5 percent). Her free-throw percent ranks fourth best in school history. She also had 129 assists and 101 steals during her standout career.
As a freshman in 2001-02, Perugini was named the Horizon League’s Newcomer of the Year. She scored 270 points, averaging 10.4 per contest. She led the team with 239 rebounds, averaging 9.2 per contest. A defensive standout as well, she had 37 steals and 30 blocks to go along with 41 assists. From the field she was 116-of-240 (48.3 percent) and 38-of-52 from the free-throw line (73.1 percent). During the year she had 15 double-figure scoring games, 10 double-doubles and 11 double-figure rebound games.
Perugini grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds against Akron on Nov. 28, 2001, a number that was the most by a Penguin since 1981 and is the fifth most in a game in school history.
As a sophomore, she scored 356 points in 26 games for an average of 12.7 per contest, which led the team. She grabbed 227 rebounds, an average of 8.1 per game. Perugini had 39 assists, 35 blocks and 25 steals during the season. From the field she was 134-of-334 (40.1 percent) and made 81-of-91 from the free-throw line (89 percent) the second-highest season percentage in school history. She made 32 free throws from at one point during the campaign, the second-longest streak in YSU history.
Perugini scored in double figures on 18 occasions, grabbed double figures in rebounds in nine games and had eight double-doubles. Twice she scored 24 points in a game reaching the mark against Wright State and at Butler.
As a junior in 2003-04, she scored 187 points, averaging 6.7 points a game while grabbing 151 rebounds, a 5.4 board per game average. She had 18 assists, 14 blocks and 11 steals on the year playing in all 28 games while starting 10.
In her final year in 2004-05, she had the best season of her career averaging a double-double. She scored 389 points, averaging 14.4 points per game and grabbed 288 rebounds, an average of 10.7 a contest. Her 288 rebounds ranked as the fifth most in a season in school history and were the most by a player since 1987-88. She had 31 assists, 31 steals and blocked 28 shots on the year. From the field she made 150-of-340 attempts (44.1 percent), made a career-high 19 3-point attempts and was 70-of-87 from the free-throw line (80.5 percent).
Perguini scored in double figures 22 times, including the final 10 games of her career. She had 17 double-figure rebound games and 13 double-doubles. Against Ohio, she scored a career-high 26 points and added 17 rebounds in that performance as well.
Excelling off the court as well, Perugini was a first-team CoSIDA academic all-district honoree.
She earned her degree from YSU in physical education and received her master’s in administration from Grand Canyon University.
Perugini is a physical education teacher for grades K-4 at Robinwood Lane Elementary School in Boardman.
Jen is married to former men’s basketball player Stephen Flores. The couple resides in Boardman and has two children, Maya and Michael.
