TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) – Washington & Jefferson College senior Adalynn Cherry (Altoona, Pa. | Altoona Area) and Bethany College junior Troy Hixson (Grove City, Ohio | Bishop Ready) were named the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Scholar-Athletes of the Month for December.
Each month, the SAAC groups at PAC member institutions are asked to nominate one male and one female student-athlete for PAC SAAC Scholar-Athlete of the Month consideration based on academic and athletic accomplishments. Nominees must be varsity team members in their respective sport and in their junior or senior year. Scholar-Athlete of the Month nominees must also have a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher and be actively involved within their campus communities.
Cherry helped W&J’s women’s basketball team to a 5-1 month of December, shooting 42.5 percent from the floor (17-for-40) and 77.7 percent from the foul line (7-for-9). The three-year team captain wrapped up a solid month of play with a 14-point performance, shooting 50 percent (4-for-8), while adding five rebounds, two blocks, and an assist in the 70-62 victory over Penn State Behrend.
Double majoring in Economics and Spanish, the senior maintains a 4.0 cumulative GPA, while also minoring in Business. Cherry has received multiple academic recognitions at W&J, including the Marshall Prize of Economics (2023-24), the Rule, Hughes, Murphy Scholarship Award (2023) and has been a W&J Alpha Scholar all four years. Cherry has been a member of the Alpha Delta Honor Society, Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honor Society and Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society. She has been a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection (2022-23, 2023-24) and been named to the PAC Spring Academic Honor Roll three times.
Cherry has served in various leadership roles for W&J’s Special Olympics Club, including president, vice president and treasurer, helping to raise more than $12,000 for Special Olympics Pennsylvania by organizing a campus-wide Polar Plunge event. The senior constructed and led an academic symposium titled ‘Comparison as a Thief of Joy’ as part of the W&J Fellows Program, which helped to engage first-year students in respective conversations about the controversy over comparison. Cherry also serves as an Economics Peer Tutor and is a SAAC representative.
Female December honorable mention nominees included: Allegheny senior Josephine Reiter (women’s swimming & diving); Bethany senior Ashleigh Wheeler (women’s basketball); Waynesburg junior Kalista Friday (women’s basketball); Westminster senior Sara MacMurdo (women’s swimming & diving).
Hixson shot 41.8 percent from the floor (18-for-43) for the month of December, highlighted by a 20-point offensive performance on December 17th against Geneva. The junior guard shot 66.7 percent from the floor (8-for-12), including 42.9 percent from behind the arc (3-for-7) and a perfect 1-for-1 from the foul line. He also made three steals and grabbed three rebounds. This marked his fourth 20+ point performance this season.
The marketing major maintains a 3.71 GPA and has been named to the Dean's List four semesters. In 2023, Hixson was the recipient of the Richard B. Kenney Leadership Award, which is granted to a first-year student who has demonstrated outstanding scholarship, leadership, and character at Bethany, who has become actively involved in Bethany, and who has contributed service and devotion to the College community. Hixson was a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection in 2023-24.
On campus, Hixson spends his time working in the sports information department and is an active member of Bethany’s SAAC as a representative for the men’s basketball team. He is also a member of the men’s golf team.
Male December honorable mention nominees included: Allegheny senior Jack Malnar (men’s swimming & diving); W&J senior Brock Pennington (men’s indoor track & field); Waynesburg junior Jalen Goins (men’s basketball); Westminster junior Mick Hergenrother (men’s basketball).