Naval Academy Athletics Association (NAAA) Athlete-of-the-Week award was presented by Northrop Grumman to three deserving individuals for their incredible performances in their respective sports. Men’s swimmer Jonah Harm, women’s swimmer Lauren Walsh, and wrestler Andrew Cerniglia all shared the honor.
Harm’s exceptional display of swimming earned him the men’s swimmer of the meet title at the Patriot League Championship. His consecutive victory in the 100 fly title, third-place finish in the 100 back, and ninth place in the 200 individual medley’s consolation final marked his outstanding performance at the championship. In addition, Harm was instrumental in Navy’s victory as he won four relay events, including the meet-closing 400 free relay, which he started, leading Navy to its 19th team championship in the 19 years of competing at the meet.
Lauren Walsh was the women’s rookie of the meet at the championship, finishing tied for third place with 54 individual event points. She played a vital role in Navy’s 11th team title win in a row, extending its league all-sport record to 21 team titles. Walsh’s impressive performance saw her win the 200 breast and take the silver medal in the 100 breast and 200 individual medley. She also featured in Navy’s winning 800 free relay team and the second-place finishing 400 free and 400 medley relay teams.
Wrestler Andrew Cerniglia showed incredible grit and determination to secure victory for Navy over the Black Knights in the final bout of the Star Match in West Point, N.Y. With the match tied with under a minute remaining, Cerniglia turned on the heat, scoring the next four points in quick succession to take a 5-1 lead. Despite competing for the first time in one month, Cerniglia displayed his prowess and ended any hopes of a rally by his opponent with a two-point takedown with 15 seconds left to win the bout 7-2, securing an 18-13 victory for Navy. This was the second time that Cerniglia had scored the deciding points in the Star Match, showcasing his exceptional abilities as a wrestler.
The NAAA Athlete-of-the-Week award recognizes the outstanding efforts of Navy’s athletes in their respective sports. The three awardees, Jonah Harm, Lauren Walsh, and Andrew Cerniglia, exhibited exceptional performances that deserve to be celebrated. Their dedication and hard work have not only contributed to Navy’s victory but have also set a high bar for their fellow athletes to follow. Congratulations to the trio for their remarkable accomplishments, and we look forward to seeing more incredible performances from them in the future.