Process. It’s the word that best describes the grind, the devotion, the everyday work it takes to achieve excellence. Nothing about excellence is easy or quick. It requires intention, discipline, dedication and a willingness to stick to your goals, dreams, beliefs — to stick to the process — in order to reach it.
Michael Jordan says it this way: “Excellence isn’t a one-week or one-year ideal. It’s a constant.”
When anyone looks at the long-standing history of success in W&L’s athletics, whether they realize it or not, they are looking at a deep-seated commitment to the process. That’s because there is no way excellence is attained by taking shortcuts or by showing up once in a while. Anyone who has achieved at the highest level can tell you: it takes time and patience to rise to the top; a patience born of focusing on going deeper rather than simply going forward. There’s nothing easy about it, and if you ask anyone who is at the top, they will tell you they wouldn’t want it any other way. They learn to love the grind and embrace it as the only way to distinguish themselves from everyone else. You can’t get to where you want to go without believing in the process.
We believe in the process and I invite you to join us as we take this journey towards excellence. Your support for everyone who is connected to our success — student-athletes, coaches, staff, and administrators as well as alumni, family, friends and fans — is meaningful and treasured. We are better when you take part in supporting what we do.
Join us and help us to dig deeper, to grind it out, as we commit ourselves to the process of achieving excellence in all that we do.
In gratitude,
BASKETBALL
The 2022-23 Washington and Lee University men’s basketball season concluded in historic fashion: a quadruple-overtime contest in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference quarterfinals. Junior Rob DiSibio (Sandy Hook, Conn. / Newtown) broke the ODAC Tournament single-game record with his 46 points over 55 minutes of action. The contest was not only the highest-scoring in ODAC Tournament history, but also the first ODAC game to feature a pair of 40-point scorers and the first 4OT game in the conference’s postseason since 1988.
DiSibio, who is a cognitive and behavioral science major, reached the 1,000-point milestone this season. The junior was a two-time ODAC Player of the Week and was named to the W&L Holiday Tournament All-Tournament Team during the regular season. His postseason accolades included First Team All-ODAC and VaSID Second Team All-State nods. DiSibio started all 26 contests and led the team in scoring (22.8 ppg), while adding 6.7 rebounds per game.
The Generals finished the season with an 18-8 (11-5 ODAC) record, marking the fifth consecutive season with double-digit ODAC victories and the sixth straight year inside the top-5 conference tournament seedings.
Thanks to a strong schedule, including a one-point loss to the eventual national champions (CNU), W&L was in the conversation for an at-large NCAA Tournament bid at season’s end. All eight of W&L’s losses came to teams who were at some point in the Top-25 or receiving votes; three of those games concluded in overtime. The Generals had wins over NCAA Tournament qualifier teams in Scranton, and on Senior Day, Hampden-Sydney. ●
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
W&L finished second at the ODAC Championships and third in the 2022 NCAA Regional Championships. Carolyn Todd placed fourth in the regional event and Kristen Clodgo took 17th; both went on to compete at the national meet. W&L claimed six all-region and four All-ODAC honors.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Law student Charles Scharf recorded W&L’s best finish at the NCAA Championships meet since 1991 after the newcomer placed 52nd overall. Scharf helped the Generals to a second-place finish at the ODAC Championship and Colin Verrett was named ODAC Co-Rookie of the Year.
MEN’S SOCCER
Men’s soccer finished with a 163-4 overall record and claimed an ODAC Championship and advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament. The Generals collected a significant amount of postseason awards: three All-America accolades, three major ODAC awards and seven All-ODAC picks.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
In her first year at the helm, ODAC Coach of the Year Tiffany Pins led W&L to a 14-2-5 overall record and a 8-0-2 mark in conference play. W&L earned an NCAA at-large berth. The Generals had eight players tabbed as all-conference while Grace Wielechowski, Lindsay White and Brenna Wehner were named all-region by the United Soccer Coaches association.
TRACK & FIELD
Graduate Carolyn Todd ’23 (Cumberland Foreside, Maine / Greely) left her mark on the cross country course and track over her four years at W&L. Todd, the top-runner during the fall season, led W&L to a second-place finish at the 2022 ODAC Cross Country Championships and took third at the NCAA Regional Championships. Todd was the sixth runner to cross the finish line to claim All-ODAC honors and was voted the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau ScholarAthlete of the Year. Todd became a two-time NCAA XC Championships qualifier and raced alongside sophomore Kirsten Clodgo on the national stage during adverse Michigan weather last November.
Todd’s success carried over to the track with a stellar senior campaign in the distance events. Todd broke the program’s indoor 5,000m and outdoor 10,000m records, qualified for her third career NCAA appearance, and competed in the 5K at the indoor national championships. The environmental studies and strategic communications graduate claimed three ODAC event titles as a senior. Todd swept the indoor 3K, 5K, and 10K events, and secured a second-place finish in the 5K at the league’s outdoor championships. There, she was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second time in the calendar year. ●
My time on the cross country and track and field teams shaped my W&L experience. During my first year, I gained inspiration from the senior women who established a strong and empowering environment, which made me feel welcomed and valued. Throughout my four years, I trained alongside teammates who continuously motivated and inspired me. Our team fostered a community that prioritized the well-being of each other and celebrated each achievement, no matter how big or small, in competition or in the classroom. During my senior year, my coaches played a pivotal role, and encouraged me to set ambitious goals on the course and track. I feel so fortunate to have graduated with a stronger passion for the sport and friends I cannot wait to meet up and race with again soon.”
-Carolyn Todd ’23
FIELD HOCKEY FOOTBALL
The Generals finished the season with a 17-3 (7-1 ODAC) record, claimed their second-straight conference championship, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. Recent graduate Tess Muneses was voted both ODAC ScholarAthlete of the Year and W&L’s Women’s Sport William McHenry ScholarAthlete; she also won the league’s Marjorie Berkley Award, the ODAC’s highest honor.
Robert Poindexter was named ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year and David Onyejekwe was named Virginia DII/III Linebacker of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Richmond. The football team finished 5-5 and outscored its opponents 247 to 144.
RIDING VOLLEYBALL
W&L placed third in the region and qualified four riders for Zone Finals including Clare O’Brien. The junior took fourth in the Intermediate Equitation Over Fences at the 2023 IHSA National Championships. Firstyear Elisabeth Marek was voted ODAC Rookie of the Year to cap the season awards.
The Generals posted a 19-11 overall record and went 10-2 in ODAC play. Sydney Heifner, Ashley Webb and Caroline Gard picked up postseason laurels from the league and AVCA. Heifner was named First Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-America. Gard also broke the program’s all-time dig record with 1,849.
WRESTLING
The Old Dominion Athletic Conference resumed its sponsorship of men’s wrestling during the 2022-23 competition year, after a 43-year hiatus. Recent graduate Ryan Luth (Milford, Conn. / Joseph A. Foran) and the Generals claimed a stake in the regular season title while capturing the league’s post-season tournament by placing in nine of the 10 weight classes. Luth, along with Riley Parker and Matt Majoy, claimed their respective weight classes; Luth was also named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.
The Generals went 11-2 in dual matches and 5-1 in ODAC competition, and placed fourth at the regional tournament. Cam Blizard, Harrison Kelly and Luth all qualified to participate at nationals. During his senior campaign, the communications graduate posted a 24-3 overall record and went on to become the only three-time All-American in program history at nationals.
Luth earned individual and team conference titles his sophomore, junior and senior years, on top of qualifying for the national championship tournament on each occasion. He accumulated a 101-11 overall record and the best finish by any W&L wrestler at the NCAA National Championships in 86 years; Luth took fourth during his junior campaign and fifth as a senior in the 157-pound weight class. At the Brookby Family W&L Athletic Awards Ceremony, Luth was named the winner of the men’s sport “Pres” Brown Most Valuable Athlete Award. ●
Being a part of the wrestling team at W&L has changed and shaped my life in ways that I couldn’t have predicted. I’ve made connections with my teammates and coaches that will last a lifetime while finding new ways to push myself and work both as a team and individual to achieve personal and group goals. I am extremely grateful to have had all the resources, support, mentors and people around me that helped me reach my full potential as a student-athlete. The family I found at W&L through this team and athletic department is one that I will forever be thankful for and I’m happy to have been a part of something so great.”
—Ryan Luth ’23
SWIMMING
The Washington and Lee University men’s swimming season was headlined by a 6-1 head-to-head record, a first-place finish in the ODAC Relays, and placing second at the F&M Invitational. The Generals broke seven program records through the course of the season. During the championship meet, the Generals claimed the program’s eighth ODAC title and the program’s 16th overall league championship. W&L placed 18 on the All-ODAC list, highlighted by first-year Dalton Jobe, a five-time ODAC Swimmer of the Week and the ODAC Championships’ Rookie of the Meet.
His initial campaign saw Jobe go undefeated in dual meets in the 200 and 500 free, setting numerous school and ODAC records along the way. His 500 free time of 4:31.29 broke a program record that had stood for 15 years. At the ODAC Championships, he won conference titles in the 500 free, 400 IM, 400 free relay and 800 free relay, while setting ODAC meet records in the 500 free, 400 IM and 800 free relay.
Jobe qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 200 free and 400 IM. On the national stage, he reset the program and ODAC record in the 400 IM throughout the qualifying rounds. In the finals, he once again bested his record in a time of 3:56.66 to secure a 12th-place finish and earn an Honorable Mention All-America citation. Additionally, he is W&L’s first men’s swimming All-American since 2019. ●
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD WOMEN’S SWIMMING
At the ODAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, W&L took third place. First-year Evan Langhammer headlined the 16 All-ODAC selections with a win in the pole vault event. Zach Moore claimed the ODAC ScholarAthlete of the Year award.
For the second year in a row, Head Coach Kami Gardner and student-athlete Brynn Martinson received two of the ODAC’s major awards: Coach of the Year and Swimmer of the Meet, respectively. Fifteen members of the team earned All-ODAC accolades based on their finishes at the ODAC Championships and the program earned its 32nd conference title.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The women’s basketball team earned its second-ever ODAC Championship with a 73-57 win over Shenandoah University, a rematch of the 2019 finals. Firstyear Mary Schleusner collected conference and national Rookie of the Year recognition, as well as the ODAC’s Most Outstanding Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Head Coach Christine Clancy was named ODAC Coach of the Year. The Generals ended 22-7 overall and 16-2 in ODAC play.
MEN’S LACROSSE
W&L hoisted the ODAC trophy for the 12th time in program history after recording a program-record 18 wins (18-5). The Generals marched through the NCAA tournament before falling to the eventual national champions in the quarterfinals. Head Coach Gene McCabe and staff were voted Regional Coaching Staff of the Year and McCabe was recognized as ODAC Coach of the Year.
GOLF
Megan Kanaby ’23 (Chapel Hill, N.C. / Cardinal Gibbons) and the women’s golf team captured the program’s fifth consecutive Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships in May. The Generals, who were ranked inside the Women’s Golf Coaches Association’s top-10 for the entire year, went on to have the best finish in program history at the NCAA Tournament — a ninthplace showing on the national stage.
At the conference tournament, first-year Julia Haetzel claimed the individual crown, thanks to the field’s only below-par performance on the final day, and all five players finished within the top-12. One week later at the NCAA Championships, sophomore An Shelmire had the best result, a tied-for-19th showing. Teammates Marcella Mercer and Laetitia Roegner were named WGCA All-Region players.
At the NCAA banquet, Kanaby, who was already one of the most decorated players in program history, became W&L’s only four-time WGCA All-America honoree, adding to her list of major awards earned as a senior. Following the conclusion of the ODAC tournament, the cognitive and behavioral science and sociology and anthropology graduate was announced as the ODAC/ Virginia Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was named ODAC Player of the Year, for the third time in her career. ●
Being a member of the golf team at W&L changed my life in many ways. I met some of the most amazing friends and mentors through this program and have some of the most amazing memories. Being a student-athlete at W&L is not easy; from missing class to late nights doing coursework after long practices, my four years here were not a walk in the park. I was challenged in ways I could not have imagined and I didn’t always come out on top. I did, however, always come out stronger, because of the fantastic support system I had within the W&L community. Being a General taught me hard work, patience, dedication, time management and how to have fun doing it all simultaneously. I would not be the person I am today without my team and our experiences together, for that, I will be forever grateful.”
—Megan Kanaby ’23
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
W&L took second at the ODAC’s outdoor championships and pole vaulter Evan Langhammer claimed All-America accolades, as he tied for fourth at the NCAA Championships in May. Langhammer and five additional Generals were named USTFCCCA All-Region across seven events. Daniel Jakubowski-Lewis and Charles Scharf were both named all-region in two outdoor events. Head Coach Brandon Uhl was voted ODAC Coach of the Year by his peers.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
The Generals took second at the ODAC Championships with 153 points and claimed a spot on the podium on 11 occasions over the two-day event. Recent graduate Carolyn Todd broke the ODAC’s championships meet record in the 5K with a time of 18:10.19 and was named all-region in the 10K and 5K, along with Quinlin Zunk (javelin), Natalie McCaffery (discus) and Ashley D’Ambrosia (pole vault).
MEN’S GOLF BASEBALL
The Generals finished tied for ninth at the NCAA Championship in Kentucky and won two tournaments: the Royal Lakes Invite and Wynlakes Invitational. W&L tied for second at the ODAC Championship and earned an at-large ticket to the NCAA Championship. Pierce Robinson was named a PING All-American, All-Region and All-ODAC, along with Owen Malcolm and Walker McPhail.
For the third consecutive season, the baseball team qualified for the ODAC postseason tournament with an 11-11 league record. The Generals placed two players, Evan Blair and Campbell Charneco, on the allregion team. Recent graduate Mitchell Salvino headlined the postseason awards as the ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
FOOTBALL LACROSSE
Allie Schwab ’23 (Bryn Mawr, Pa. / Harriton), the ODAC Offensive Player of the Year, and the W&L women’s lacrosse team completed the 2023 season with a 19-2 record under Head Coach Maddie Coleman, in her first year at the helm. The Blue and White advanced to the NCAA tournament before falling to the eventual runner-up, Gettysburg College, in the Sweet 16. The coaching staff was recognized as the IWLCA Chesapeake Regional Coaching Staff of the Year and led the Generals to the the 23rd ODAC title in program history.
Schwab, a cognitive and behavioral science graduate, departed Lexington as one of the most decorated players in program history, with a combined five All-America accolades from USA Lacrosse and the IWLCA. She elevated her career goal and assist totals to 127 and 106, respectively, making her the second player in W&L history to surpass the century mark in both scores and helpers. Schwab appears on the program’s all-time list in both season and career points and assists. She capped her four seasons as the recipient of the “Pres” Brown Outstanding Women’s Sport Senior Athlete Award. ●
Being a part of Generals Women’s Lacrosse has been a highlight of my college career and proved to be a gift that keeps on giving. From making lifelong friends to memories that I will cherish forever, I can say that becoming a General has been one of the greatest decisions of my life. Throughout my four years, every team I have been on was different and taught me new skills. The 2020 team taught me resilience through the pandemic, 2021 taught me control, 2022 taught me to be confident and the 2023 team showed me what it means to be a leader. I am so thankful for this program, the players, the coaches and everything we have done together over these four years. I wish I could stay for longer, but I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for this amazing team. #IAmThird”
—Allie Schwab ’23
MEN’S TENNIS WOMEN’S TENNIS
Sophomore Evan Erb qualified for the NCAA DIII Singles Championships and helped W&L finish 17-6 overall and a perfect 9-0 in conference play. The Generals won their 41st conference title with a 5-0 sweep over the ODAC newcomers, Averett University. Erb was named ODAC Player of the Year and was joined by five others on the All-ODAC teams: Evan Brady, Connor Coleman. Eli Hirschberg, Will Kistler and James Kurani.
First-year Lauren Long helped the Generals to a 19-7 overall record and a perfect 10-0 conference mark for the program’s 20th consecutive conference title. W&L won its first NCAA match of the postseason and fell in the second round. Long, the ODAC’s Player and Rookie of the Year, earned All-America status at the NCAA DIII Singles Championships and finished the season as the 10th-ranked singles player in the division.
BY THE NUMBERS
place in the annual National Association of College Athletic Directors’ Ranking for Division III
ODAC Dan Wooldridge
Champion’s Cup (Awarded to the college/university with most combined points, based on regular-season standings in team sports and championship team finishes in individual/meet sports.)
Athletic Department
100 Warner Drive
Lexington, VA 24450-2116
HELP US BUILD ON THE PROCESS.
The history of success in W&L Athletics is long and storied, with pride that runs deep and wide — both academically and athletically. The core of that success is us; the people — students, coaches, staff, alums, family and friends.
Join us! Membership begins at $50 and you may designate your donation to a specific sport(s), if you so choose. Twenty-five percent of your gift (up to a cap of $250) will be used to support all sports at W&L. By supporting the Generals’ Club you can help us keep writing this winning story.
Online donation form can be found at go.wlu.edu/givetothegenerals
