TRAFFORD, Pa. – Following the Presidents' first NCAA Playoff berth and PAC Championship since the 2018 season, Washington & Jefferson College has been awarded 16 All-Presidents' Athletic Conference selections as well as three of the four total individual awards.
 
Jacob Pugh (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) was voted PAC Offensive Player of the Year, Dawson Dietz (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) was deemed PAC Defensive Player of the Year and Mike Sirianni collected his eighth PAC Coach of the Year honor. This marks the third time W&J has been awarded three annual PAC Awards in one season. The last being the 1991 season as the Presidents were awarded Offensive (Chris Babirad), Defensive (Gilbert Floyd) and Coach (John Luckhardt) of the Year.
 
The All-PAC teams and award winners were selected by a vote of the league's 11 head coaches. The PAC Sports Network unveiled the teams and award winners in a special presentation Thursday evening.
 
Pugh repeated as the conference's Offensive Player of the Year this season, and the first President to win the award in back-to-back seasons since Chris Babirad (1991-1992). Pugh topped his output from a season ago, leading the PAC nearly every passing category including passing yards (3,011, career-high), touchdowns (39, career-high), completion percentage (70.6) and passing efficiency (190.8, career-high). Pugh currently ranks fourth in NCAA Division III in passing yards and touchdowns while ranking fifth in passing yards per game and ninth in passing efficiency.
 
With his 92^nd career passing touchdown thrown against Allegheny, Pugh holds sole possession of fourth all-time at W&J in passing touchdowns and sits three away from third. Pugh also holds the second-most passing touchdowns thrown in a single season at W&J only behind Bobby Swallow '08 (46).
 
Pugh also tallied three PAC Offensive Player of the Week selections throughout the regular season (Sept. 9, Oct. 14, and Nov. 18.).
 
A long-awaited award has been achieved this season by the Presidents' anchor on the defensive front as Dietz earned the PAC's Defensive Player of the Year. Dietz is the first W&J Defensive Player of the Year since Gilbert Floyd of the 1991 season. One of the nation's top defensive disrupters led the conference in tackles for loss (22.5) and sacks (13, career-high). Dietz currently ranks second in all of NCAA Division III in tackles for loss and fourth in sacks.
 
Dietz holds the fourth most tackles for loss at W&J with 57 in his career to this point, passing both Stephen Swentkowsky '90 (56.5) and Dan Primrose '96 (53) in their last regular season matchup against Allegheny (Nov. 21). Dietz was also named to the D3football.com Team of the week in back-to-back weeks (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5).
 
Dietz and Pugh each additionally picked up All-PAC First Team honors.
 
Sirianni picks up his eighth PAC Coach of the Year honor. Sirianni has led W&J to the postseason in 19 of his 22 seasons, including his upcoming 12th NCAA playoff appearance this season. Sirianni boasts a 194-45 (.812) overall record in his career as the Presidents' head coach. He currently sits fifth among active NCAA head coaches in winning percentage.
 
Also earning spots on the All-PAC First Team were offensive lineman Adam Kozera (Sharpsburg, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic), tight end Zach Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland), wide receiver Jacob Macosko (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township), defensive lineman Avery Keith (Hartville, Ohio/Lake) and linebacker Justin Johns (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional).
 
Kozera, a former All-PAC Second Team selection a season ago, started all 10 games at right guard for the Presidents.
 
Cernuto worked his way to his second All-PAC First Team honor. The versatile tight end career highs in receiving yards (286), receiving touchdowns (six) and receptions (36). Cernuto earned PAC Offensive Player of the week and a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week after his performance against Case Western Reserve (Nov. 2). Cernuto logged two career highs with 14 receptions and 123 receiving yards. His reception total of 14 marks the most catches by a W&J receiver since Payton Skalos (16 receptions vs. Westminster Oct. 26, 2019).
 
Macosko collects his first All-PAC First Team honor and second in his career. The junior wideout logged a dominant season as one of two W&J wide receivers to post 1,000+ receiving yards (1,090, career-high). He also logged a career-high 72 receptions and 13 touchdowns. Macosko ranks among the top receivers in NCAA Division III in receiving yards (10^th), receiving yards per game (12^th), receiving touchdowns (T-14^th), receptions (T-15^th).
 
Macosko was awarded his first PAC Offensive Player of the Week honor after his performance against ranked foe, Grove City. Macosko led the team in catches and receiving with a career-high 13 grabs for 160 yards, marking the second-straight season Macosko has compiled 160+ yards against the Wolverines.
 
Keith collects his first All-PAC First Team honor and second in his career. Keith matched his career-high in tackles for loss (14.5) and tallied 5.5 sacks and 51 total tackles. Keith ranked fifth in the PAC in tackles for loss and tied for sixth in sacks. Keith posted a season-high 10 tackles against Carnegie Mellon.
 
Johns put a historic cap to his career in the PAC by becoming W&J's all-time leading tackler. Johns posted five total tackles against Allegheny (Nov. 16), compiling 350 career tackles to lift past former W&J tackle leader Eric Field '04 (348 career tackles). Johns finished sixth in the conference with 84 total tackles and tied for 11^th in tackles for loss with nine.
 
Johns has been selected to an All-PAC team for the fourth of his five seasons played. He also picked up a PAC Defensive Player of the Week honor for his performance against Westminster (Oct. 5).
 
Earning spots on the All-PAC Second Team were offensive lineman Elijah Staub (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic), wide receiver John Peduzzi (Hilton Head, S.C./ Hilton Head Christian Academy), and defensive back Zachai Simmons (Hawthorne, N.J./Linsly (W. Va.)).
 
Staub collects his first All-PAC honor after starting all 10 conference games this season. The junior helped block for the President's offense, which ranked 2nd in the PAC with an average of 44.7 points per game.
 
Peduzzi tallies his third All-PAC honors award in his collegiate career. This past season, he joined an elite group of historic W&J receivers as one of five wideouts to tally 3,000+ career receiving yards. Peduzzi passed Todd Fry '02 (3,024) with a career of 3,048 receiving yards after hauling 103 yards on seven receptions. Peduzzi also tied former offensive coordinator and wide receiver Aaron Krepps '05 with 39 career receiving touchdowns.
 
Peduzzi finished the regular season as a 1,000-yard receiver, ranking 23rd in NCAA Division III for receiving yards. Averaging 100.7 receiving yards per game, he ranks 25th nationally and 3rd in the PAC. As a full-time starter, Peduzzi recorded 13 touchdowns and a career-high 18.6 yards per catch, capping off the regular season.
 
Simmons pockets his second consecutive All-PAC Second Team honors. With 61 total tackles, Simmons ranks among the top five on the team. Simmons also made impactful plays on the Presidents' special teams units, blocking a punt against CRWU which led to a touchdown on Nov. 2.
 
Defensive back Angelo Volomino (Jefferson Hills, Pa. / Thomas Jefferson), defensive back Brandon Brown (Monessen, Pa. / Greensburg Central Catholic), kicker Deven Wyandt (Altoona, Pa. / Bishop Guilfoyle), offensive lineman Grant Cullen (Pittsburgh Pa. / Pittsburg Central Catholic), running back Kobe Derosa (New Castle, Pa. / Laurel), and tight end/running back Raymond Holmes (Verona, Pa. / Serra Catholic) completed the list of honorees as All-PAC Honorable Mention selections.  
 
Volomino earned his first All-PAC honor after filling the role as one of W&J's starting cornerbacks this season. Volomino had career highs in total tackles (18) and in passes defended (seven). He also added three interceptions to his season stats with his first career pick coming against Bethany (Oct. 26).
 
Brown receives his first All-PAC honor in his tenured collegiate career. Brown, a five-year contributor to the President's defense, posted a strong career season with 21 total tackles, seven passes defended and three interceptions.  His three interceptions led the team with Volomino and ranked tied for fourth in the conference.
 
Wyandt, the Presidents' standout special teamer, earned his second All-PAC honors following an impressive comeback to the field after missing the 2023 season. Wyandt converted 42 extra-point attempts this season along with four total field goals (longest 35 yards). Wyandt was also awarded PAC Special Teamer of the Week following his week one performance against Saint Vincent (Sept. 7).
 
Cullen, a three-year starter, earned All-PAC honors after helping lead the Presidents to their conference championship. Cullen started all 10 games at the center position.
 
Derosa, another first-time All-PAC selection, finished first on the team in rushing touchdowns with 10. He additionally finished second on the team in rushing yards (408) and yards per carry (4.9) among W&J's starting running backs. In the receiving game, the dual threat back led the W&J backfield in receiving yards (188), receptions (13), and receiving touchdowns (two).  
 
Holmes, a second-time All-PAC honorable mention honoree, picked up another nod from the conference. Holmes hauled in seven receptions for 49 yards and one touchdown. The hybrid tight end/running back also played a pivotal role in the Presidents' efficient blocking at the line of scrimmage. 
 
Eddie Nicotra (Cranberry, Pa./North Catholic) represented W&J on the PAC Sportsmanship Team.
 
After winning their 27^th PAC Championship and garnering the conference's Pool A (automatic bid), W&J will travel to Randolph-Macon in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Football Championship on Saturday (Nov. 30). Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. in Ashland, Va at Day Field.