LANCASTER, Pa. -- Washington College women's soccer senior Rachel Chatfield and Swarthmore men's tennis junior Rushil Patel have been named the 2023 Centennial Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
The Centennial recognizes a Scholar-Athlete of the Year in each of its 24 championship sports to a junior or senior member of the All-Conference team with the highest cumulative grade point average. The overall Scholar-Athletes of the Year are presented to the student with the highest GPA among the 12 men and 12 women's winners.
Chatfield, a senior defender for the Shorewomen soccer team, is the third Washington College student-athlete to receive the overall Scholar-Athlete of the Year since the award was established in the 2015-16 academic year. A double major in biology and mathematics, Chatfield held a perfect 4.0 grade point average entering her final semester. For her efforts on the field and in the classroom, Chatfield was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team last fall. A three-time All-Centennial honoree, including a second team selection in 2022, Chatfield became the second Washington player to earn All-Centennial three times in a career. She was one of the anchors of the Washington defense from 2019-22. This past fall, she helped the Shorewomen post eight shutouts in 17 games. In 51 career games, including 50 starts, she had two goals and four assists for 10 points.
Patel, a member of the Garnet men's tennis team, is the second Swarthmore student-athlete to receive overall Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades. An economics and computer science major from Duncan, S.C., Patel held a perfect 4.0 grade point average entering the spring. On the court, Patel earned All-Centennial second team doubles honors this spring along with partner Max Lindstrom and helped the Garnet to their first-ever Centennial title. Patel posted a 12-8 overall doubles mark throughout the 2022-23 campaign, including a 10-6 dual record and an 8-2 mark when teamed with Lindstrom.
Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award Recipients
- 2016: Brad Brooks, swimming, McDaniel; Anna Inserra, lacrosse, Washington College
- 2017: James Stadler, cross country/track, Haverford; Elizabeth Garrison, volleyball, Muhlenberg
- 2018: Nick Zambelli, football, Moravian; Taylor Bauman, volleyball, McDaniel; Julia Portmann, swimming, Washington College
- 2019: Ben Frost, lacrosse, Haverford; Taylor Bauman, volleyball, McDaniel
- 2020: Adam Gamber, track & field, Dickinson; Sadie Camilliere, lacrosse, Swarthmore
- 2022: Oliver Pickering, swimming, Gettysburg; Jamie Belfer, softball, Franklin & Marshall
- 2023: Rushil Patel, tennis, Swarthmore; Rachel Chatfield, soccer, Washington College