AUSTIN, Texas – Washington & Jefferson football seniors,
Dawson Dietz (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) and
Zach Cernuto (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland), have each been named to the 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® Football First Team, announced by the organization Tuesday (Jan. 28).
Cernuto, a two-time CSC Academic All-District recipient and first-time member of the Academic All-America team, started all 11 games for the W&J this season as their leading tight end. Cernuto worked his way to his second All-PAC First Team honor this season as well. The versatile tight end hit career highs in receiving yards (286), receiving touchdowns (six) and receptions (36).
The Presidents' star-studded receiving threat 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).
Dietz collects his second CSC Academic All-America honor after placing on second team a season ago.
Dietz kept the senior year accolades coming with his third career CSC Academic All-District honor. So far, the Presidents defensive anchor has picked up All-America First Team honors from the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, and D3football.com. Dietz was also named a finalist for the 2024 Cliff Harris Award, which is the first W&J finalist since Williams from the 2019 season and was named All-Region 2 Defensive Player of the Year.
As the 2024 Presidents' Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Dietz 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).
