Drexel University Athletics
Photo by: Brian Manley
Washington and Knudsen Named Semanik Award Winners
5/22/2023 7:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Men's Rowing, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Swimming & Diving, Men's Tennis, Wrestling, Women's Basketball, Women's Rowing, Field Hockey, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Tennis, Drexel Athletics, Men's Squash, Women's Squash, Tickets, Spirit Team (Cheer), Spirit Team (Dance)
PHILADELPHIA – Drexel seniors Keishana Washington and Matias Knudsen have been named Drexel's 2023 Mary and John Semanik Award winners. The awards are given to Drexel's top female and male senior student-athletes who best exemplify the scholarship and athletic ideals of the former Directors of Athletics, Mr. and Mrs. Semanik. They were presented at the Best of the Blue and Gold Awards on Monday evening in the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Washington was named an honorable mention All-American by the WBCA, AP and USBWA on her way to signing a training camp contract with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. Her recognition by the WBCA was the first in program history. She also earned CAA Player of the Year and First Team honors. A five-time conference Player of the Week, Washington was a finalist for both the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year and Naismith Hall of Fame/WBCA Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year awards. She ranked second nationally with 27.7 points per game and was one of two players this season to score 40 or more points in a game four times, including 42 against Penn State on December 18 and a career-high 43 at Fordham in the WNIT on March 16. The Pickering, Ontario native was recognized for her efforts in the classroom earning Second Team Academic All-America honors and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year.
Knudsen was a CSA First Team All-American, going 15-4 overall, including a 14-3 mark in team play. His 14 wins in the number one position are the second most in a single-season in program history. A finalist for the Skillman Award, the top honor in men's collegiate squash, Knudsen went 4-1 against teams ranked in the top-3 this season and helped Drexel to its best ever finish at the Potter Cup, placing fifth. Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, he graduates as one of only five players in Dragons' history with 50 or more victories and his career winning percentage of .769 is fourth in the DU archives. He was named Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference First Team, a CSA Scholar Athlete, MASC All-Academic and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Men's At Large Performer of the Year.
Drexel's Male Performance of the Year went to men's soccer player Harrison Coron for scoring four goals against the College of Charleston. The Female Performance of the Year went to Washington for her 42-point effort against Penn State, lifting the Dragons to their first win against a Big Ten team since 2016.
The Play of the Year went to Casey Touey of the women's soccer team. The sophomore chipped in a goal from inside the top right corner of the box with 1:08 remaining at preseason CAA favorite UNCW, as Drexel ran its season-opening unbeaten streak to 10 matches.
The Women's Team of the Year went to women's lacrosse. The Dragons went 12-6 overall and earned a bid to their third consecutive NCAA tournament. Despite graduating its top two goal scorers and an All-American goalie from the previous year, Drexel earned its first ever win against Johns Hopkins and protected its home turf, going 8-1 at Vidas Field this season.
The Men's Team of the Year was rowing. Drexel won the Varsity 8+ at the Dad Vail Regatta and qualified for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. The win helped DU secure its second consecutive men's points title at Dad Vails. Drexel also won the Kerr Cup and Bergen Cup in the spring following historic wins at the Head of the Charles and Head of the Schuylkill Regattas in the fall.
The Victory of the Year was presented to women's tennis. The Dragons upset second-seeded Delaware in the quarterfinals of the CAA Championship and became the first No. 7 seed to advance to the tournament semifinals.
Women's soccer earned Coaching Staff of the Year. Drexel started the season 7-0-3 and was one of the final 10 teams nationally without a loss. The 10-match unbeaten string was the second longest to start a season in CAA history as Drexel earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and advanced to the semifinals.
I Am A Dragon Award: Paige DeAngelo, Dance Team
SAAC Service Award: Savaanah Garcia, Softball
Dragon Cup: Men's Squash and Women's Soccer
BSAU Impact Award: Baylor Henry
Spirit Team Performers of the Year: Alexa Fretz and Sarah Pretopapa
National Strength and Conditioning Association All-Americans: Evan Barczak (wrestling), Luke House (men's basketball), Victoria Palochik (women's swimming), Caroline Thompson (women's soccer)
Washington was named an honorable mention All-American by the WBCA, AP and USBWA on her way to signing a training camp contract with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. Her recognition by the WBCA was the first in program history. She also earned CAA Player of the Year and First Team honors. A five-time conference Player of the Week, Washington was a finalist for both the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year and Naismith Hall of Fame/WBCA Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year awards. She ranked second nationally with 27.7 points per game and was one of two players this season to score 40 or more points in a game four times, including 42 against Penn State on December 18 and a career-high 43 at Fordham in the WNIT on March 16. The Pickering, Ontario native was recognized for her efforts in the classroom earning Second Team Academic All-America honors and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year.
Knudsen was a CSA First Team All-American, going 15-4 overall, including a 14-3 mark in team play. His 14 wins in the number one position are the second most in a single-season in program history. A finalist for the Skillman Award, the top honor in men's collegiate squash, Knudsen went 4-1 against teams ranked in the top-3 this season and helped Drexel to its best ever finish at the Potter Cup, placing fifth. Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, he graduates as one of only five players in Dragons' history with 50 or more victories and his career winning percentage of .769 is fourth in the DU archives. He was named Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference First Team, a CSA Scholar Athlete, MASC All-Academic and was the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Men's At Large Performer of the Year.
Drexel's Male Performance of the Year went to men's soccer player Harrison Coron for scoring four goals against the College of Charleston. The Female Performance of the Year went to Washington for her 42-point effort against Penn State, lifting the Dragons to their first win against a Big Ten team since 2016.
The Play of the Year went to Casey Touey of the women's soccer team. The sophomore chipped in a goal from inside the top right corner of the box with 1:08 remaining at preseason CAA favorite UNCW, as Drexel ran its season-opening unbeaten streak to 10 matches.
The Women's Team of the Year went to women's lacrosse. The Dragons went 12-6 overall and earned a bid to their third consecutive NCAA tournament. Despite graduating its top two goal scorers and an All-American goalie from the previous year, Drexel earned its first ever win against Johns Hopkins and protected its home turf, going 8-1 at Vidas Field this season.
The Men's Team of the Year was rowing. Drexel won the Varsity 8+ at the Dad Vail Regatta and qualified for the Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships. The win helped DU secure its second consecutive men's points title at Dad Vails. Drexel also won the Kerr Cup and Bergen Cup in the spring following historic wins at the Head of the Charles and Head of the Schuylkill Regattas in the fall.
The Victory of the Year was presented to women's tennis. The Dragons upset second-seeded Delaware in the quarterfinals of the CAA Championship and became the first No. 7 seed to advance to the tournament semifinals.
Women's soccer earned Coaching Staff of the Year. Drexel started the season 7-0-3 and was one of the final 10 teams nationally without a loss. The 10-match unbeaten string was the second longest to start a season in CAA history as Drexel earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament and advanced to the semifinals.
I Am A Dragon Award: Paige DeAngelo, Dance Team
SAAC Service Award: Savaanah Garcia, Softball
Dragon Cup: Men's Squash and Women's Soccer
BSAU Impact Award: Baylor Henry
Spirit Team Performers of the Year: Alexa Fretz and Sarah Pretopapa
National Strength and Conditioning Association All-Americans: Evan Barczak (wrestling), Luke House (men's basketball), Victoria Palochik (women's swimming), Caroline Thompson (women's soccer)
All-Dragon and Mario Teams
| First Team | Second Team |
| Corinne Bednarik - Women's Lacrosse | Daniel Dudockin - Men's Tennis |
| Brian Bonino - Wrestling | Lily Dunbar - Women's Soccer |
| Alina Bushma - Women's Squash | Chelsea Gravereaux - Women's Swimming |
| Jenika Cuocco - Women's Lacrosse | Kacper Karnik - Men's Swimming |
| Eline Di Leva - Field Hockey | Taylor Mason - Field Hockey |
| Alan Jesudason - Men's Tennis | Belle McHugh - Women's Lacrosse |
| Matias Knudsen - Men's Squash | Griffin Mitchell - Golf |
| Jakub Kwasny - Men's Swimming | Daniel Nesseler - Men's Soccer |
| Delaney Lappin - Women's Soccer | Federica Nocera - Women's Swimming |
| Lorie Lemongo - Women's Tennis | Mickey O'Malley - Wrestling |
| Jack Mulcahy - Men's Lacrosse | Margot Prow - Women's Squash |
| Drue Nicholas - Golf | Hayleigh Simpson - Women's Lacrosse |
| Annalena O'Reilly - Women's Soccer | Luke Tomak - Men's Lacrosse |
| Youri Senden - Men's Soccer | Kyle Tucker - Men's Soccer |
| Karina Tyma - Women's Squash | Patrick Udovich - Men's Lacrosse |
| Varsity 8+ - Men's Rowing | Varsity 8+ - Women's Rowing |
| Keishana Washington - Women's Basketball | |
| Amari Williams - Men's Basketball |
| Third Team | Mario Team |
| 2V8+ - Men's Rowing | Elise Duffy - Women's Soccer |
| 2V8+ - Women's Rowing | Megan Ehrnfeldt - Women's Swimming |
| Evan Barczak - Wrestling | Natali Foster - Field Hockey |
| Moa Bonnemark - Women's Squash | Anna Getty - Field Hockey |
| Isabel Cabrerizo - Women's Tennis | Conor Hooley - Men's Lacrosse |
| Maura Cissel - Women's Lacrosse | Novice 8+ - Men's Rowing |
| Harrison Coron - Men's Soccer | Grace O'Neill - Women's Basketball |
| Alex De Sousa - Men's Tennis | Yuri Pelbart - Men's Squash |
| Sean Donnelly - Men's Lacrosse | Sebastian Smith - Men's Swimming |
| Maura Hendrixson - Women's Basketball | Jordan Soriano - Wrestling |
| Ameryn Humble - Softball | |
| Isabel Jacobs - Field Hockey | |
| Renata Lombera - Women's Tennis | |
| Justin Moore - Men's Basketball | |
| Jessica Schable - Softball | |
| John Scully - Men's Swimming | |
| Nico Serna - Men's Squash | |
| Kevin Spear - Men's Swimming |
Players Mentioned
165
/ Wrestling
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
184
/ Wrestling
/ Women's Squash
/ Women's Squash
/ Women's Tennis
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Men's Soccer
G
/ Women's Lacrosse
/ Men's Tennis
F
/ Field Hockey
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
/ Men's Tennis
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
M/F
/ Field Hockey
INF/OF
/ Softball
M
/ Field Hockey
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
G
/ Women's Basketball
/ Women's Rowing
A
/ Men's Lacrosse
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
IF
/ Softball
M
/ Field Hockey
/ Men's Tennis
Breast/Sprint Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
/ Men's Squash
Fly/Sprint Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
F
/ Women's Soccer
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
D
/ Field Hockey
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
/ Men's Golf
G
/ Men's Basketball
M/A
/ Men's Lacrosse
M/D
/ Men's Soccer
/ Men's Golf
Back/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
174
/ Wrestling
g
/ Women's Basketball
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
/ Men's Squash
/ Women's Squash
P
/ Softball
Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
D
/ Men's Soccer
/ Men's Squash
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
Fly/Free/Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
141
/ Wrestling
Free
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
M
/ Women's Soccer
M/A
/ Men's Lacrosse
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
/ Women's Squash
D
/ Men's Lacrosse
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballCAA
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