Chris Babirad ’94 holds 18 Washington & Jefferson records, including career rushing yards (5,714), career rushing yards per game (129.9), career rushing touchdowns (65) and career points (446). He also rushed for a single-season record 2,471 yards and 32 touchdowns in 1992. His 4,419 career regular-season yards is the 20th best total in NCAA Division III history, while his average of 10.7 points per game is 11th in NCAA history. He was a two-time First Team All-PAC performer and a Kodak and Champion All-American in 1992. In his senior season, he was also named the USA Today Player of the Year after leading the Presidents to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and the Lambert Trophy. Babirad also lettered three years for the W&J baseball team.
Peter Eaton ’64 was one of the top running backs and leading tacklers of the 1960s for the Washington & Jefferson football program. A four-year letterwinner, Eaton was named to the All-PAC offensive and defensive teams after his senior season in which he helped the Presidents to a second-place finish in the conference. Eaton also finished among the top five in the conference in rushing yards, rushing attempts and tackles.
Gilbert Floyd, Jr. ’92 is tied with Dave Conn for the W&J record for most interceptions in a career with 15. A four-year letterwinner, Floyd earned All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference honors in all four seasons, including first-team selections as a junior and as a senior. His teams advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs in each of his last three years. He was also selected as the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player in his senior year and was a Kodak and Champion All-America honoree in 1991. Floyd was also honored with the Hughes Murphy Award for leadership at the College. During his career, the Presidents accumulated a record of 33-6-1.
Fred Gentile ’64 was a four-year letterwinner in football at Washington & Jefferson and started his career quickly by earning First Team All-PAC honors as a fullback following his freshman season. He also was named the team’s Most Outstanding Freshman. As a sophomore, Gentile was honored by his teammates as the Presidents’ Most Valuable Player. Gentile led Washington & Jefferson to a second-place finish in the conference as a senior in 1964 as the team captain.
Ray Johnston ’58 was a three-year letterwinner and a punishing offensive lineman for the Washington & Jefferson football team. As a sophomore, he was chosen as a NAIA All-State performer. Johnston earned Little All-America honors following his junior season and was named to the All-State squad as a senior. He served as the team captain in each of his final two seasons and was named the All-District Lineman of the Year in 1957.
Ed Kusko ’85 shined on the football field for the Presidents, earning First Team All-Conference laurels in all three years in which he lettered. He was also a three-year winner of the Crouse Award and became Washington & Jefferson’s first-ever recipient of the Kodak All-America award. The Pittsburgh Press also placed Kusko on the First Team All-District squad. W&J claimed the PAC Championship in his senior year and also won the NCAA Southern Regional Championship. After college, Kusko earned a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A.J. Pagano ’88 was a four-time All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference running back for W&J from 1984-1987. He led W&J to its first postseason appearance since the 1922 Rose Bowl in his freshman year. In all, W&J claimed three PAC Championships and made four NCAA Division III playoff appearances with Pagano in the backfield. He was a two-time PAC Most Valuable Player and All-American. He finished his career as the No. 2 leading scorer in Division III history with 361 points and is currently the 12th leading scorer in history. He also still holds the school record for all-purpose yards in a game with 357 versus CMU in 1987 along with four other records.
Rich Pocock ’72 lettered all four years of his career as a running back for Washington & Jefferson. As a freshman, he was named First Team All-PAC. The Presidents ranked fourth among small colleges in total offense with Pocock in the backfield. In 1970, he led W&J to the conference championship and helped the Presidents finish second in the PAC as a senior in 1971. Pocock and quarterback Don Kasperik formed one of the top offensive threats in school history. Pocock ended his senior season ranked fourth in the nation in receiving yards. Following graduation, Pocock spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Shawn Prendergast ’94 was a four-year letterwinner for the W&J football team, who led the Presidents to four consecutive Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships and NCAA Division III Playoff appearances. He was a two-time First Team All-PAC linebacker and All-American. In 1993, he was selected to the Kodak All-America team, while also being honored as a Champion All-American. He played in all 25 games in his final two seasons and led W&J to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in 1992. He was also honored as the Division III Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. In all, Prendergast’s teams won 40 out of 46 games in his career.
E. Miles Prentice III ’64, 1999 Murphy Award Honoree, stands as one of the most famous graduates of Washington & Jefferson College. The 1999 Murphy Award winner was a second baseman for the W&J baseball program in 1961 and 1962 and played four years of football as a running back and an end. He then received his law degree from the University of Michigan and was admitted to the bar in 1973. He is a partner at Eaton & Van Winkle, a New York City law firm and is an owner of three professional sports teams. He recently bought the Huntsville Stars of the Double-A Southern Baseball League and stakes claim of the Midland Rockhounds of the Double-A Texas League. Prentice also shares an interest with the Odessa Jackalopes of the Western Professional Hockey League. He has served on the W&J Board of Trustees since 1986.
Russ Stein ’21 was the captain on W&J’s 1921 undefeated football team, which played to the only scoreless tie in the history of the Rose Bowl against the University of California. He was one of the 11 players who played in the entire game in which W&J held the Golden Bears to only 49 yards rushing, two first downs and no pass completions. Stein was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player and was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1991. He was selected to Walter Camp’s All-American team in 1921, where he joined his brother, Herb, as the first brothers to be named All-Americans in the same year. He later played professionally with the Pottsville Maroons and won the NFL Championship in 1924. After the season, he was named to the All-Pro team.
