WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College Department of Athletics has announced its annual senior award winners for the 2023-24 academic year. The department recognizes both men's and women's recipients of the E. Ronald Salvitti, M.D. Senior Scholar-Athlete Award and Walter C. Cooper Senior Athlete Award.
The Salvitti Award recognizes the top male and female senior scholar-athletes from each school year while the Cooper Award honors the top male and female senior athletes during the campaign. Student-athletes are nominated for these awards by their respective head coaches.
The 2023-24 Cooper Award recipients are
Nate Sciarro (Beaver Falls, Pa./Riverside) and
Sofia Jenkins (Hughesville, Md./The Calverton School). The recipients of the 2023-24 Salvitti Award are
Ian Baughman (Oxford, Pa./Oxford Area) and
Cassie Carr (Girard, Pa./Girard).
All four award winners will be honored at the annual W&J College Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Banquet on Friday, Sept 6.
Nate Sciarro (Men's Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field)
Sciarro, a four-year standout, will go down as one of the best in W&J Track & Field history. He holds school records in both the Long Jump (7.17 meters) and the High Jump (1.95 meters). Sciarro went a perfect seven-for-seven during his career in taking home the individual title in the Long Jump at the respective Presidents' Athletic Conference Championships. Sciarro earned PAC Field MVP honors five times including during all three indoor seasons. He earned All-Region honors three times from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). During the 2023 season, Sciarro helped guide the W&J men's track & field team to its first PAC indoor title in program history. Sciarro took first in the Long Jump, second in the Triple Jump and fifth in the High Jump to push the Presidents to the team title. Sciarro earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from W&J.
Sofia Jenkins (Women's Lacrosse)
Jenkins put together a record-breaking career during her four-year run with the program. She received major recognition as the 2024 Presidents' Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and All-PAC First Team. In addition, Jenkins picked up All-Region status from the IWLCA as a Second Team member in the Boardwalk Region. This past season, Jenkins led the PAC with a W&J single-season record 55 assists, a total that ranked as 14th most in Division III. The 55 assists surpassed her previous school record mark of 40 from the 2023 season. Her 95 points, which equaled the W&J single-season school record, ranked as second most in the PAC. Jenkins was also the team leader with 65 draw controls. She added 22 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers in 2024. She wrapped up her career ranking first in program history with 139 assists, third with 236 points and fifth with 161 draw controls. She finished up as a three-time All-PAC honoree and a four-time PAC All-Tournament Team selection. Jenkins participated in the 2024 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Senior All-Star Game in early June. Jenkins compiled a 3.92 cumulative GPA while earning her degree in Spanish & Communication Arts.
Ian Baughman (Men's Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field)
Baughman put together a strong four-year career with the Presidents on the track. Baughman earned a pair of individual championships during his senior season. He claimed the title in the 60-Meter Hurdles during the indoor championships in February before adding a title in the 110-meter hurdles at the outdoor championship in April. His time of 8.31 seconds in the 60 hurdles tied the best time in PAC indoor history. He earned All-Region honors from the USTFCCCA four times including during both the indoor and outdoor seasons as a senior. He ranked third in the region in the 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season and third in the 400 hurdles during the outdoor portion of the campaign. A two-time captain, Baughman was a key component of W&J's conference championship team during the 2023 indoor season. He finished his career as the school record holder in the 400 Hurdles and 110 High Hurdles. In the classroom, he earned PAC Academic Honor Roll seven times and made the dean's list in all eight semesters. Baughman earned his degree in Political Science. He graduated with an exceptional cumulative GPA of 3.98.
Cassie Carr (Women's Cross Country, Women's Indoor & Outdoor Track and Field)
Carr finished her standout career a two-time qualifier for the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship and one of the best runners in school history holding multiple records. Carr earned All-Region honors and All-PAC honors three times apiece in the sport of Cross Country. Carr finished in ninth place this past November at the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional after placing fifth in the 2023 PAC Championships. Last November, Carr was the first female President to be awarded the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 award. Carr was twice honored by the PAC as its SAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month and has been named to the PAC Academic Honor Roll each semester. Carr is a W&J Alpha Scholar and a three-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team member. Carr has earned several awards throughout her time at W&J, including the 2024 Richard R. Martin Prize in Psychology, the 2023 David K. Scarborough Leadership Award, the 2023 Paul L. Reardon Award, and the 2022 Rules, Hughes, Murphy Award. Carr is an active participant on W&J's campus serving as a class representative for SGA, a SAAC representative, a three-year resident assistant for first-year students, and a Red & Black contributor. Carr compiled a perfect 4.0 GPA while majoring in both Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies, and minoring in Mathematics.
