Robert Coury Named Division III 2023-24 Commissioner’s Association/Chi Alpha Sigma Regional Student-Athlete of the Year

(SUWANEE, Ga.) – Graduate student inside linebacker Robert Coury of the Carnegie Mellon University football team was one of 20 Division III student-athletes recognized as winners of the third annual Division III Commissioner's Association (DIIICA)/Chi Alpha Sigma Regional Student-Athlete of the Year Award. Coury was the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) candidate and was selected as the men's sport winner for Region VII.

Coury, as the men's winner from Region VII, and each of the winners will advance to the national ballot for consideration for 2023-24 DIIICA Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year and Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.

Selection criteria for the awards included considerations based on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership and a personal statement submitted by each nominee.

On the gridiron, Coury has earned six All-America honors in the last two years, including being recognized by the American Football Coach Association (AFCA), the Associated Press and D3football.com. Coury was the first Tartan in program history to be honored in back-to-back seasons by all three organizations.

In addition to his three All-America honors for his 2023 season, Coury was also named a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, First Team All-PAC honoree, First Team D3football.com Region 2 selection and a 2023 All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) selection. He led the Cardinal and Gray defense for the fourth straight season in tackles (83) and third straight season in tackles for loss (16.5) while ranking second on the squad with 4.0 sacks. He also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, recorded an interception and had two blocked punts this season.

Coury's individual performance in 2023 headed a Tartans defense for the third consecutive season that led the PAC in scoring defense, allowing 10.2 points per game, rushing defense giving up 73.1 yards per contest, total defense allowing 245.0 yards per game, turnovers gained with 29, fumbles recovered with 13, passes intercepted with 16, turnover margin at 1.55 and tackles for loss with 8.7 per contest. Carnegie Mellon ranked fourth nationally in fumbles recovered, sixth in turnovers gained, seventh in scoring defense, eighth in turnover margin, ninth in team tackles for loss, 13th in total defense and 16th in both rushing defense. The defense held nine opponents under 100 yards on the ground and broke a school record when holding Westminster to -16 yards rushing earlier this season.

Off the field, Coury carries a 3.97 GPA and is currently pursuing his master's in mechanical engineering. In 2023, he repeated as an Academic All-America by the College Sports Communicators America. He has volunteered at the Western Spring Sectional competition of the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, Get in the Game - Be The Match and Rise Against Hunger. He has worked on numerous projects, including the Smart Walk Design Prototype where he designed a walker attachment using sensor to vibration motor communication to benefit disabled individuals.

Coury has been a manufacturing engineer intern for Mack Trucks, a subsidiary of Volvo Group, as well as a construction project management intern for Tesla and Curtiss-Wright as a mechanical engineering intern. He is a member of Undergraduate Consulting Club, Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, the Sports Analytics Club and Cru at Carnegie Mellon.

Chi Alpha Sigma, a valued partner of the D3CA, is in its inaugural year as presenting sponsor of the regional awards.

"Chi Alpha Sigma is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the DIIICA Student-Athlete of the Year awards," said Kellen Wells-Mangold, executive director of the National College Athlete Honor Society. "The mission of Chi Alpha Sigma aligns very well with that of the DIIICA, which makes this a natural partnership to celebrate some of the most outstanding student-athletes in college athletics for their excellence in competition, the classroom, and the community."

Voting for the Regional awards was conducted by the commissioners within each of the ten regions, with the top male and female honoree recognized as finalists for the Awards Committee to select the Division III Commissioner's Association Men's Sport and Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year. The two national winners will be announced next month.