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COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (pacathletics.org) – Washington & Jefferson College senior quarterback Jacob Pugh (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and Carnegie Mellon University graduate student linebacker Robert Coury (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) were named among the 18 semifinalists for the 2024 Gagliardi Trophy Thursday afternoon.
This is the first year the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) has two Gagliardi Trophy semifinalists in the same season, and now marks 13 times a PAC player has made the list for the prestigious trophy. The first Carnegie Mellon player to earn the honor a year ago, Coury is a semifinalist for the second year in a row. He is just the second player in conference history to earn the honor multiple times and first since Grove City College's R.J. Bowers (1998/1999/2000).
With Pugh's inclusion this year, W&J now has the most semifinalists of any PAC program with five, as he joins Jesse Zubik (2017), Bobby Swallow (2008), Jason Baer (1994) and Matt Szczypinski (1993). Grove City has four semifinalists in Bowers and Cody Gustafson (2021) in their history and Thomas More College (Domonique Hayden-2014; Zach Autenrieb-2012) had two in their time in the PAC.
The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993, is awarded to the most outstanding NCAA Division III football player and recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. The award is named after John Gagliardi, Saint John's legendary Hall of Fame head football coach who passed away at the age of 91 in 2018. John retired in 2012 with 489 career victories, the most in college football history.
The list of 18 semifinalists features another quarterback-heavy class, as well as nominees from all six NCAA regions. Nearly all the semifinalists participated in at least the first round of the Division III playoffs. There are five nominees that return from last year's list, including Coury and the 2023 Gagliardi Trophy recipient, quarterback Luke Lehnen from North Central College (Ill.)
The Gagliardi Trophy finalists will be announced during a live show at 4 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 19, on D3football.com. Host Pat Coleman will profile the finalists during the program. The 2024 Gagliardi Trophy winner will be revealed on D3football.com during the week of the NCAA Division III football national championship game. In the lead up to the announcement of the 2024 Gagliardi Trophy winner, D3football.com will provide updates on specific dates and times of the announcement.
A record number of nominations were submitted by colleges across the country, and the semifinalists were selected by the J-Club Board of Directors. The Gagliardi Trophy national selection committee is comprised of 18 Division III coaches (three from each NCAA region), six Division III administrators (one from each region), 12 regional notable voters (two from each region), and six national voters with Division III backgrounds. A fan vote, which runs until Dec. 13, is now live and fans can vote one time per device through Dec. 13th. VOTE
Coury headed a Tartans defense for the third consecutive season that led the PAC in scoring. The three-year captain headed a Tartans defense that at the end of the regular season led the PAC in total defense and were ranked second nationally. Including the second round NCAA playoff game, the defense has allowed 219.5 yards per game of total offense. The Cardinal and Gray also led the league averaging 9.2 tackles for loss per game which ranks second in the nation. The defense has held 10 opponents under 100 yards on the ground and broke a school record when holding Centre to -33 yards rushing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The rushing defense was ranked second in the PAC and currently fifth nationally and has allowed 45.4 yards per game.
A four-time First Team All-PAC honoree, Coury led the defense for the fifth straight season in tackles (71) and fourth straight season in tackles for loss (17.0) while also leading the squad with 5.0 sacks. He ranks third in the PAC in tackles for loss, 11th in sacks and 14th in total tackles. The senior has also forced four fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had one blocked punt this season. His four forced fumbles are the top in the PAC in fourth nationally. He currently has 360 career tackles and 63.5 tackles for loss, ranking tops all-time in program history in both categories.
A mechanical engineering major who carries a 3.97 GPA and is currently pursuing his master's in mechanical engineering, Coury is also a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which will be announced on December 10.
Coury is a two-time Academic All-America by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). He has volunteered at the Western Spring Sectional competition of the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, Get in the Game - Be The Match and Rise Against Hunger. Coury has worked on numerous projects, including the Smart Walk Design Prototype where he designed a walker attachment using sensor to vibration motor communication to benefit disabled individuals.
The inside linebacker has been a manufacturing engineer intern for Mack Trucks, a subsidiary of Volvo Group, as well as a construction project management intern for Tesla and Curtiss-Wright as a mechanical engineering intern. He is a member of Undergraduate Consulting Club, Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, the Sports Analytics Club and Cru at Carnegie Mellon.
Pugh repeated as the conference's Offensive Player of the Year this season, and the first President to win the award in back-to-back seasons since Chris Babirad (1991-1992). Pugh topped his output from a season ago, leading the PAC in nearly every passing category including passing yards (3,282, career-high), touchdowns (40, career-high), completion percentage (67.98) and passing efficiency (178.56, career-high). Pugh currently ranks fourth in NCAA Division III in passing yards, while ranking fifth in TD passes and passing yards per game and 15th in passing efficiency.
With his 92nd career passing touchdown thrown against Allegheny, Pugh took sole possession of fourth all-time at W&J in passing touchdowns. Pugh also holds the second-most passing touchdowns thrown in a single season at W&J only behind Bobby Swallow '08 (46).
Pugh tallied three PAC Offensive Player of the Week selections throughout this regular season (Sept. 9, Oct. 14, and Nov. 18) and collected six weekly honors during his career.
Academically, Pugh was voted to the CSC Academic All-District team in 2022 and 2023 and made the PAC Academic Honor Roll once so far in his time at W&J with a 3.49 GPA as a Business Administration major. Pugh additionally volunteered time with the W&J Football camps and youth camps in the local campus community.
Contributions from W&J and Carnegie Mellon Sports Information