Hobart and William Smith had 10 athletes honored by the National Strength and Condition Association as 2024-25 College All-American Strength & Conditioning Athletes of the Year. Five Herons and five Statesmen were selected this year.

Football linebacker Jaimen Bliss, basketball forward Niko Lutz, hockey forward Kahlil Fontana, baseball outfielder Will Jones and lacrosse attackman Alex Rosa represented Hobart. Field Hockey defender Hannah Huston, soccer midfielder Ruth Hotaling, basketball guard Molly Walsh, hockey goaltender Erin Murray and lacrosse midfielder Kate Colvin represented William Smith. Since 2019, 43 Statesmen and Herons have been recognized by the NSCA. The class of 2024-25 is the largest group to represent HWS since its first class in 2019-20 when 12 student-athletes were selected.

"It is an honor and a privilege to announce this year's class of S&C All-Americans," said Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Brittany Krivicich. "Their work ethic is high end, and their positive impact in the weight room is felt by all across Hobart and William Smith. These individuals are part of an elite group that continually pushes themselves to excel in the weight room and at the same time, do a tremendous job carrying out the standard of our 'one-team' culture."

Bliss is a four-year member of the Hobart football team. He played in 43 career games, recording 267 career tackles, 33.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 10 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and three interceptions. The two-time captain was a three-time All-Liberty League selection, a D3football.com first team All-Region selection and a D3football.com third team All-American.

"Jaimen has demonstrated exceptional leadership both on the field and in the weight room. He approaches training with the same purpose and dedication that he brings to every aspect of his life, constantly pushing himself and his teammates to improve. Through hard work and dedication, Jamien was able to achieve a 245-pound bench press, 405-pound back squat, 4.78-second 40-yard dash, and a 32.8-inch vertical."

Lutz is a three-year member of the Hobart basketball team. He has played in 55 career games, averaging 1.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg and has 15 career blocks. Lutz won the Rookie Award for Basketball in 2022-23 and was elected to the Chimera Honor Society in 2024.

"Niko's consistent energy and presence are contagious. He is always the first athlete to arrive at the weight room and the last one to leave. His vocal presence is unmistakable. Not only is he the first to speak in moments requiring leadership, but he is also the loudest. Lutz's dedication to fitness has led to numerous achievements within our facility. Over 2.5 years, he has added 15 pounds of muscle mass, increased his barbell split squat by 84 pounds, and added 44 pounds to his bench press."

Fontana is a three-year member of the Hobart hockey team. He has played in 83 career games for the Statesmen and has tallied 46 points on 21 goals and 25 assists. Fontana has helped Hobart to three consecutive national championships, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime in the 2025 title game, and is a two-time AHCA All-American Scholar.

"Kahlil's positive attitude and consistent effort light up any room he steps into. His professional approach to showing up early and preparing his body for training is unmatched. Over the course of 2.5 years training, he has increased his trap bar deadlift by 90 pounds and added 70 pounds to his bench press. Fontana's commitment to his teammate's shines through his 'we, not me' attitude, both on and off the ice which is an invaluable quality for any coach to have in their athletes."

Jones is a three-year member of the Hobart baseball team. He has played in 79 career games for the Statesmen, hitting .294 with 50 RBI's and 45 runs. Jones was the 2023 recipient of the Baseball Coach's Award and a 2024 Liberty League All-Academic selection.

"Will is an extension of our coaching staff. He is consistently the first to arrive at training sessions, often an hour early, and maintains constant communication with our staff and his teammates to help organize the session and motivate the group. Over the past year, Will has made significant improvements in his strength, increasing his barbell bench press from 235 pounds to 260 pounds and achieving a personal best of 305 pounds on the front squat. Will has played a key role in establishing a strong weight room culture for Hobart baseball."  

Rosa is a four-year member of the Hobart lacrosse team. He has played in 48 career games, tallying 72 points on 58 goals and 14 assists. Rosa was named a team captain for the 2025 season and was the 2024 recipient of the Van Arsdale Award.

"Alex is a phenomenal example of leadership, with a work ethic that is unparalleled. He is as consistent as they come and is always ready to tackle any task at a moment's notice. During his time at HWS, Rosa has added 12 pounds of muscle mass, increasing his back squat by 100 pounds, adding 100 pounds to his bench press, and most recently, improving eight rounds on his conditioning test."

Huston is a four-year member of the William Smith field hockey team. She played in 56 career games, tallying 31 points on 10 goals, including five game winners, and 11 assists. A three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad member, Huston was named a Liberty League All-Academic twice. She was named to the All-Liberty League second team in 2024.

"Hannah's passion for lifting is contagious and throughout her career, she has often been caught doing extra work or empowering her teammates to push themselves. During her sophomore year, she endured a season-ending injury, and while most people focus on the negative, Hannah spent her time in the weight room creatively finding ways to continue to build her strength. Her strength accolades include a 240 pound back squat, 140 pound bench press, and a 300 pound deadlift."

Hotaling is a three-year member of the William Smith soccer team. She has played in 66 career, tallying 52 points on 14 goals, including six game winners, and 24 assists. Hotaling is a two-time All-Liberty League selection, a 2024 United Soccer Coaches All-Region first team selection, as well as a United Soccer Coaches All-America fourth team selection. In 2024, she was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team after leading the Herons to the national championship game.

"Ruth is a prime example of how intentional work, a quality work ethic, and a dedication to the weight room can help anybody achieve their goals. She has become one of the most consistent workers and a great leader. Ruth has a competitive, fun spirit that shines both on the field and in the weight room. She is a wonderful teammate and will continue to be an excellent role model for all."

Walsh is a four-year member of the William Smith basketball team. She played in 97 career games, averaging 4.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, and 1.6 apg. Walsh finished her career ranked 11th on the William Smith's career minutes average list (27.1), 12th in career minutes (2,631) and 16th in 3-point field goals made (82). She is a three-time Liberty League All-Academic selection, a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and was named a team captain in 2024-25.

"Molly is the epitome of dedication and hard work in the weight room. Her relentless drive to give her best is unmatched, as she consistently seeks to push her limits, often modifying exercises to make them even more challenging. What truly sets Molly apart is her ability to push herself while radiating positive energy, creating an environment where her teammates feel both motivated and supported."

Murray is a four-year member of the William Smith hockey team. She played in 53 career games, recording a 22-24-3 overall record in goal for the Herons. Murray holds the program record for career shutouts with 12 and single season shutouts with seven. She is first on William Smith's career record list for save percentage (.944) and GAA (1.60) as well. Murray was named the 2024-25 NEHC Goaltender of the Year as well as a First-Team All-NEHC selection. She was also a three-time NEHC All-Academic selection.

"Erin has made a huge impact on her teammates and others over the past four years. She put in an impressive amount of work this past summer making her an impact player on the ice and in the weight room. For several months, Erin has finished every training session testing how many chin-ups she can do. Her drive for more has turned into a tradition where she has involved her teammates and other teams to test their chin-ups with her."

Colvin is a three-year member of the William Smith lacrosse team. She has played in 42 games, tallying 25 points on 12 goals and 13 assists. Kate has won 25 career draw controls and added 18 ground balls and eight caused turnovers. She was a Liberty League All-Academic selection in 2024 and has played a significant role for the Herons after transferring from the University of Southern Maine.

"Kate is a powerhouse of a worker. What makes Kate truly special is her ability to be positive and humble, while having an absolute relentless work ethic. Throughout her career here, she has been a big proponent of doing quality extra work, also known as the work many others avoid. Her strength accolades include a 115 pound bench press and a 185 pound front squat. We have been extremely fortunate to work with Kate as she is a wonderful role model and example to every student-athlete on our campus."