Hobart and William Smith Colleges had 12 student-athletes honored by the NSCA, earning recognition as the 2019-20 College All-American Strength & Conditioning Athletes of the Year. Six Statesmen and six Herons were among this year's honorees.
 
Junior tennis player Walker Anderson, senior running back Brian Haeffner, sophomore rower Moritz Marchart, junior lacrosse long-stick midfielder Dan Ryan, junior hockey forward Travis Schneider, and senior cross country runner Josh Wasserman represented Hobart, while senior tennis player Kate Foley, senior swimmer Anna Leffler, junior lacrosse defender Mekayla Montgomery, senior soccer midfielder Elizabeth Moore, senior basketball guard Annaliese Schreder and senior hockey forward Gina Scibetta were recognized from William Smith.
 
"Here at HWS, we have a tremendous culture of hard work, commitment and unity within our weight room and outside of it," says Chris Gray, the John J. Hogan '88 Strength and Conditioning Head Coach. "This group of athletes not only embodies these characteristics, but goes above and beyond every single day to better themselves and everyone else around them."
 
Anderson was 4-5 in singles and 9-6 in doubles when the tennis season was cut short due to the COVID-19 emergency. In three seasons, he's compiled a 33-21 singles record and a 44-25 doubles mark. Anderson, with teammate Alan Dubrovsky, won the 2018 ITA Northeast Regional doubles championship and was named an ITA Doubles All-American. Anderson is noted for his work ethic and support and respect for his fellow student-athletes in the weight room.
 
Foley posted a record of 2-5 in singles and 4-3 in doubles, finishing her career with a 31-31 record in singles play and a 38-27 mark in doubles. After going 15-5 at No. 2 doubles last season, she earned All-Liberty League honorable mention. Foley is a leader on the court and in the weight room.
 
Haeffner was a two-time All-Liberty League pick, earning first team honors in the fall after rushing for team-highs of 616 yards and six touchdowns. He gained a season-high 146 yards and scored a pair of TDs in the win over St. Lawrence on Nov. 2. In 39 career games, Haeffner rushed for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. One of two captains this season, he is considered the team's heartbeat in the weight room, where his best effort benching 225 pounds is more than 30 times.
 
A two-time team MVP, Leffler will graduate with her name on the program's record board eight times. Individually, she eclipsed the William Smith standards in the 200-yard freestyle, the 100 and 200 backstroke, and the 400 individual medley. Leffler was also a member of four record-breaking relays, holding the marks for the 200 and 400 medley relays and the 400 and 800 free relays. In the weight room, she boasts a 1-rep max trap bar deadlift of 315 pounds.
 
Marchart is a two-year member of the varsity eight. In the fall, Hobart's top crew placed third in the men's collegiate eight at the Head of the Charles. Last season, Marchart and the Statesmen won gold medals at the Liberty League and National Invitational rowing championships. They were ranked 23rd in the nation in the final 2018-19 IRA/USRowing coaches poll. Since arriving at the colleges, Moritz's dedication to self-improvement has led him to add 20 pounds of muscle mass.
 
Montgomery played in just 44 games for the Herons, but managed to break the program's game, season and career records for draw controls. She produced a career-high 11 draws in a win at Vassar last season and finished the year with 93, 21 more than the previous standard. Montgomery broke the career mark with her 13th draw of the season, which came in a 13-3 win over Nazareth. The two-time IWLCA All-American is often found in the weight room during the offseason, working diligently to improve the technical aspects of Olympic lifts.
 
A 2019 United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America third team selection, Moore helped lead the Heron soccer team to the NCAA championship game. She contributed four goals, three of which were game winners, and an assist. William Smith won four straight Liberty League Championships and produced an overall record of 78-8-2 during her career. In the weight room, Moore is celebrated as a tireless worker and a selfless teammate.
 
Ryan had eight ground balls and three caused turnovers as Hobart lacrosse opened the season with a 4-1 record. He scored his first collegiate goal in a 26-9 win over Siena. In 34 career games, Ryan has a goal and two assists, 32 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. A leader by example, he is constantly working to improve in the weight room and on the field.
 
An alternate captain, Schneider produced nine goals and nine assists this season. He helped Hobart earn an NCAA tournament at-large bid, but the Statesmen, who advanced to the 2019 national semifinals, never got to take the ice due to the pandemic. They were ranked sixth in the nation in the final USCHO.com poll. In 84 career games, Schneider has 52 points on 29 goals and 23 assists. In the weight room, he leads the team in the power clean at 315 pounds.
 
Schreder earned a spot in the starting lineup in each of her four seasons on the hardwood, providing tough defense and timely offense. This season, she contributed career-highs of 6.2 points and 3.7 rebounds, while starting 25 games. A student worker in the RFK Strength & Conditioning Center on campus, Schreder can deadlift 250 pounds.
 
The first All-American in Heron hockey history, Scibetta holds the season and career records for goals, assists and points. She notched a record 22 goals last season on her way to second team All-America honors. This season, Scibetta notched 25 assists and 41 points to finish her career with 52 goals and 63 assists for 115 points. The two-time all-conference selection is known for her relentless effort in the weight room and on the ice.
 
Wasserman ran in nine races this fall, leading the Statesmen to the finish line six times. He was twice named the Liberty League Performer of the Week and earned All-ECAC honors after placing fifth at the ECAC Championships. Wasserman pushes himself, his teammates and other student-athletes, setting the pace and energy level in the weight room.
 
"While these student-athletes deserve all the credit for their body of work, I would be remiss if I didn't also acknowledge my staff, the coaches and administration who provide great support and direction for these athletes," says Gray.
 
The All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award program recognizes those collegiate and high school athletes whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning.