By Isabella Sansanelli
Sports Editor
This marks the first year ever that the Washington College departmental awards were rewarded online in order to keep with social distancing protocol. Of these awards were split-season sports which includes those who compete in both the fall and spring sport seasons. This includes men’s and women’s tennis and rowing, as well as trap & skeet and sailing.
Junior Ella Samer was named the most valuable player of the women’s tennis team for the second year in a row. She led the team in wins with 17 total for the season and she was a 2019 Academic All-Centennial and 2019 All-Centennial Conference. She was also voted a 2019 ITA All-American Scholar Athlete and 2019 Centennial Conference Academic as well a two-time Centennial Conference Player of the week.
“Being a college athlete at WC has done more for my personal growth than almost any other experience I have had,” said Samer. “I have loved every second of growing with my team and this program and I can’t wait to finish out my last year with such an amazing group of women and an amazing Coach. It has been an honor to represent Washington College on court three years in a row, but an even bigger honor to be a part of the team.”
The Most Improved Player for the women’s tennis team is freshman Bin Nguyen who finished with a 7-3 singles record and 5-2 in doubles. She is an international student who hails from Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam.
For the men’s tennis team, junior Koby Bonta was awarded the Most Improved Player for the 2020 season. He was a 2018 Most Valuable Player and All-Centennial Conference honorable mention. In 2019, he was an ITA All-Academic Scholar-Athlete, Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll, and All-Sportsmanship Team.
Senior August Meriot was named team Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row. He was also the Shoreman of the week four times in his career and a one-time recipient of the Centennial Conference Player of the Week. He also led the team in matches, winning 14 total for the season.
“It feels great to be awarded MVP,” Meriot said. “For my four years at WC, I really worked hard to keep improving my game. Unfortunately, this season my last season was cut short. Tennis is an individual sport, but I was honored to be part of this team. I’d like to thank my coaches and my teammates for all the support they’ve given me, and I wish them the best.”
Sophomore Maxwell Moore of the men’s rowing team was awarded the Most Valuable Player for the 2019-2020 season. During his time, he was a part of the winning squad of the novice eight at the Occoquan Challenge and in the final four of Dad Vail.
“I think it is important to recognize that crew like most team sports one person can’t move the boat by themselves, but it does feel good to have your hard work recognized,” Moore said. “As our 2020 season was cut short, I look forward to being able to work towards breaking the all-time erg records at WC. Since my class have been freshmen, we have wanted to medal at Marc and hopefully with hard work this year and new talent we can get closer to that goal and or accomplish that goal! Personally, I have grew a lot as an athlete and person and I owe to the upperclassmen and coaches. I strive to be able to mentor others as well as my mentors have mentored me.”
The Most Improved player for the Men’s Rowing team was awarded to sophomore Eric Botti who is a math major hailing from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. He rowed his way to first place at the Occoquan Challenge this past season and also serves as a Peer Mentor at WC.
For the women’s rowing team, senior Erika Reynolds won the Most Valuable Player honor.
“Although this rowing season came to a quick and bittersweet end, I am so happy to have spent four years growing with my teammates and friends,” Reynolds said. “I am grateful for the values and lessons that my many coaches have instilled within me. I wouldn’t have received this recognition if it weren’t for them pushing me to be my best.”
She is a six-time Shorewoman of the Week recipient, two-time MARC Crew of the week, two-time All-MARC Varsity and 2019 All-American First Team. In her final season in 2020 she was also awarded the Eldridge Eliason Award.
“Our motto for this year’s season was “respect everyone, but fear no one,”’ Reynolds said. “As a team we never feared failure; we sought it, knowing it would help us succeed. I am proud of not only our success, but of also the way we handled it. The culture of the WAC Women’s Rowing Team is one of encouragement, generosity, and enthusiasm to strive be the best at everything we do. I am so fortunate to be able to call this team my family.”
Team Most Improved Player was awarded to sophomore Carrie Jackson. In her 2019 season she was awarded All-MARC novice and three-time Shorewoman of the week on March 26, April 30 and May 14. She competed amongst the varsity eight to win second in the NCAA Division III Championship this year and won second in the same race last year.
For trap & skeet, co-captains Sammy DiLoreto and William Sears both found honors in Most Improved Player and Most Valuable Player respectively.
DiLoreto is a sophomore and two-time winner of the MIP award. She is also a three-time Shorewoman of the week recipient. At WC, she serves as a Chemistry Course Mentor and Environmental Science tutor.
“I am looking forward to next season to be back with my team. We all encourage each other and help one another improve as an athlete and a person,” said DiLoreto.
Sears is a sophomore as well and this is his second year being awarded the MVP award, making him the MVP of trap & skeet not only every year he has been at WC but also every year in the sport’s history at WC.
For the sailing team, senior Andrew Vernon won MVP for the second year in a row where he also sailed in 15 regattas for his final season, more than any other sailor on the team. He has been awarded Shoremen of the week twice in his career in back-to-back weeks in September of 2018.
The Most Improved Sailor for the sailing team was awarded to freshman Emma Macturk who hails from Wilmington, Del. She served as a crew for the WC Sailing team in her first year and has three more years to look forward to competing for WC.