Rutgers Athletics Honors 2019-20 Award Winners
Aug 25 | Field Hockey, General, Men's Golf, Men's Track & Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Track & Field, Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers Athletics is pleased to announce its postseason award winners for the 2019-20 academic year. Thirteen student-athletes from across eight sports were eligible for recognition this year as a result of their performance both in competition and in the classroom.
Recipients of the Werblin Award, Headley-Singer Award, Coursen Award and Athletic Director's Excellence Award, as well as the descriptions of each accolade, are all listed below.
Werblin Award: Awarded to a male or female student-athlete who, either as an individual or member of a team, received national recognition or has won a national championship during the most recent academic year.
Coursen Award: Awarded annually to a member of the most recent graduating class (May, 2020) who, throughout his career at the University, demonstrated the following characteristics: has participated in the intercollegiate athletics program and proved himself to be an athlete of outstanding ability, and has shown determination, courage, modesty and self-discipline and who, with unselfish devotion to his teammates and generous fairness to his opponents, has represented Rutgers University to the highest of standards.
Headley-Singer Award: Awarded annually to a member of the most recent graduating class (May, 2020) who, throughout her career at the University, demonstrated the following characteristics: has participated in the intercollegiate athletics program and proved herself to be an athlete of outstanding ability, and who has shown determination, courage, modesty, and self-discipline, and who, with unselfish devotion to her teammates and generous fairness to her opponents, has represented Rutgers University to the highest of standards.
Athletic Director's Excellence Award: Awarded to a student-athlete who attended Rutgers University - New Brunswick for at least four semesters, accumulated a 3.5 or higher GPA throughout the academic year, earned All-America honors or regional first-team accolades during the specific year and demonstrated leadership and character.
Jordan Pagano, Wrestling: Coursen Award: After he received a sixth-year of eligibility due to injury, Pagano finished 2019-20 with a 22-9 record. His resume included wins over six ranked foes, as he earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Championships at 197 pounds. Courtesy of his performance on the mat and in the classroom this academic year, Pagano was named a 2019-20 NWCA Academic All-American. Pagano was also awarded the 2020 Big Ten Medal of Honor, awarded annually to one male and one female student-athlete from the graduating class of each member institution who have demonstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their college career.
Amanda Visco, Women’s Soccer: Headley-Singer Award: One of the top defenders in the conference, Visco was an All-Big Ten and All-Region selection as a senior in 2019. The center back captained a squad that posted 11 shutouts and a 0.58 GAA in 2019, holding opponents to three shots or less on goal in 10 matches. Visco helped the women's soccer team earn its eighth consecutive selection to the NCAA Tournament and was also named a 2019 Academic All-Big Ten selection. Visco was also Rutgers’ recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor.
Gianna Glatz, Field Hockey: Werblin Award & Athletic Director’s Excellence Award: One of the nation's best goalkeepers, Glatz posted nine wins with a 1.49 goals-against-average and a .740 save percentage on 71 saves. She was a Third Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-Region, while earning her fourth career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award. Glatz, a member of the U.S. U-21 Women's National Team, is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, two-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient, and serves on the executive board of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Nicolas Aguilar, Wrestling: Werblin Award: A 2020 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-American, Aguilar was set to make his NCAA Championships debut after he finished the 2019-20 season with a 20-9 record as a redshirt freshman. Aguilar picked up wins over two ranked foes this season, which included a 3-1 decision over then-No. 11 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) on Feb. 14 at the RAC. Aguilar went 4-2 at the Big Ten Championships, as he wrestled back for a ninth-place finish in his weight class after three consecutive wins over Brendan Meredith (Penn State), Justin Cardani (Illinois) and Eric Barnett (Wisconsin).
Amirah Ali, Women’s Soccer: Werblin Award: Ali, a three-time All-Big Ten recipient, earned her second straight All-America recognition with First Team honors in 2019. The Voorhees, New Jersey, native’s accolade followed her Second Team All-America status last season. The 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist posted nine goals and four assists, including four game winners. Three of Ali's game winners came in overtime, as she is the program-leader with eight career golden goals. The All-American and two time all-region forward owns 62 career points (25g, 12a), ranking eight on the Rutgers career records list.
Sammy Alvarez, Wrestling: Werblin Award: Also named an All-American by the NWCA, Alvarez qualified for nationals in his first collegiate season after he finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships on March 8 at the RAC. The Garfield, New Jersey native closed out 2019-20 with a 26-10 record and wins over eight ranked foes. Ranked within the Top 10 of his weight class throughout the majority of the season, Alvarez went 11-5 in dual action and picked up an individual title at the 2020 Southern Scuffle.
Taj Burgess, Men’s Track & Field: Werblin Award: Burgess registered a strong year on the track, bursting into the year with the second-fastest NCAA mark of all-time in the 500m in the opener. He bested his school-record time in the event to 1:00.73, which came in as the fastest indoor time in the event worldwide this season. The Jersey City, New Jersey, native made strides in the 400m, placing fourth at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Championships with a time of 46.44 to earn a podium spot. Burgess qualified for Nationals with a season-best result of 46.17, becoming the third Scarlet Knight in men's history in the 400m and first since 2016-17.
Courteney Campbell, Women’s Track & Field: Werblin Award: Campbell jumped to All-America status starting her journey with the Rutgers record of 1.80m (5' 10.75') in the high jump at the Vanderbilt Invitational. The mark catapulted her to Nationals, becoming the first Scarlet Knight to qualify in the high jump in women's program history. Additionally, the Kendall Park, New Jersey, native leaped to a podium finish at the Big Ten championships, finishing sixth with a mark of 1.73m (5' 8"). Campbell claimed the 2020 Metropolitan Championship title in the event as well.
Perry Christie, Men’s Track & Field: Werblin Award: Christie produced a program record of his own with 2.23m (7' 3.75") mark in the high jump. At the Big Ten Championships, the senior earned a bronze medal in the event, registering a 2.18m (7' 1.75"). Christie also added the 2020 Metropolitan Championship title to his high jump resume during the year. The East Orange, New Jersey, native became the second Scarlet Knight to qualify in the high jump on the men's side and the first since 1974-75.
Austyn Cuneo, Field Hockey: Werblin Award: The Scarlet Knights' top scorer, Cuneo led RU with eight goals and eight assists for 25 points in her final season 'On the Banks'. A potent offensive threat, she totaled 19 goals and 15 assists for 53 points for her career. She was named a Second Team All-American, Second Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-Region and All-ECAC. A two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and national Offensive Player of the Week award winner, Cuneo was selected for the NFHCA's Senior All-Star Game.
Christopher Gotterup, Men’s Golf: Werblin Award: One of the top collegiate players in the country, Gotterup wrapped up his junior season by being named the 2020 Big Ten Player of the Year back in May. The Little Silver, New Jersey native also earned GCAA All-America honors, first team All-Big Ten recognition and was the winner of the Les Bolstad Award, given to the individual with the lowest season stroke in the conference. Gotterup finished the 2019-20 campaign as the top ranked Big Ten individual and No. 23 nationally with his 70.39 adjusted scoring average.
Terka Grusova, Swimming & Diving: Werblin Award: Grusova, a College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) All-American, qualified for her second straight-NCAA appearance in both the 100 and 200 backstroke last season. The Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic native was named Second Team All-Big Ten following a silver medal performance in the 100 back at the 2020 Big Ten Swimming & Diving Championship marking the highest finish for a Scarlet Knight since joining the conference. Additionally, Grusova had Big Ten Championships podium finishes with the 200 and 400 free relay teams with new school records and made a B finals appearance in the 200 back.
Arella Guirantes, Women’s Basketball: Werblin Award: Guirantes was the 2019-20 Big Ten scoring champion and No. 9 ranked scorer in the nation with 20.6 points per game during a campaign that was lauded with All-America Honorable Mention accolades by the Associated Press, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. She was also named to the All-Big Ten First Team, just the third from Rutgers since joining the conference in 2014-15 and first to be selected unanimously. Guirantes is the first Scarlet Knight in Rutgers' rich history to average 20+ points, 6+ rebounds and 3+ assists per game for a season. In addition to leading the conference in scoring, she ranked in the Top 14 in eight different statistical categories across the second-ranked conference in the nation. She added averages of 6.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks.
