MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Six members of the Washington & Jefferson College football team earned spots on the 2024 D3football.com All-Region 2 Teams, which were announced Wednesday (Dec. 11) by the organization. Defensive Lineman Dawson Dietz (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) heads W&J's strong representation as the All-Region 2 Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Dietz, recently announced as an AFCA First-Team All-American and Presidents' Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year tacks on another accolade to cap his storied career as a President. Dietz is the 19^th player to represent W&J on an AFCA All-America team and first since Andrew Wolf (2018). He is also the first W&J PAC Defensive Player of the Year since Gilbert Floyd of the 1991 season. Dietz now adds D3football.com All-Region 2 Defensive Player of the Year and a third First Team All-Region award to his career resume.
 
The two-time D3football.com First Team All-American finished the season as one of the nation's top defensive disrupters, leading the conference in tackles for loss (22.5) and sacks (13, career-high). Dietz ranked 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).
 
Avery Keith (Hartville, Ohio/Lake) is the sole recipient on the All-Region 2 Second Team, pocketing his first all-region award in his collegiate career. Keith also collected his first All-PAC First Team honor and second total All-PAC honor in his career just a few weeks ago.
 
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.
 
Earning Third Team honors were senior quarterback Jacob Pugh (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson), junior wide receiver Jacob Macosko (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township), senior tight end Zach Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) and senior offensive lineman Adam Kozera (Sharpsburg, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic).
 
Pugh, recently announced as a 2024 Gagliardi Trophy Semifinalist, picks up his second All-Region 2 Third Team honor. The now two-time PAC Offensive Player of the Year 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). He ranked 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).
 
Macosko earned his second All-Region 2 Third Team selection this season after collecting his first All-PAC First Team honor and second total All-PAC honor 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 ranked 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).
 
Cernuto snags his first career All-Region recognition this season. He also worked his way to his second All-PAC First Team honor a few weeks prior. The versatile tight end finished his final season with 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).
 
Kozera rounds out All-Region honorees for W&J, collecting his first All-Region nod. Kozera, a former All-PAC Second Team selection a season ago, started all 10 games at right guard for the Presidents and picked up All-PAC First Team honors following the 2024 campaign.
 
The 20th annual All-Region Teams were nominated selected in balloting by sports information directors in each region and D3football.com staff. Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools, and schools and conferences were contacted multiple times as the season wound down to remind them to make their players eligible. In total, 1,210 players were nominated, a new high. NCAA Division III realigned Division III football into six regions in 2021. Region 2 includes the Centennial Conference, Empire 8, Landmark Conference, Liberty League, New Jersey Athletic Conference and Presidents' Athletic Conference.