Seven student-athletes from the Penn State Altoona swimming program were recognized for their standout performances in the classroom on April 1 when the College Sports Communicators announced their 2024-25 NCAA Division III Academic All-District teams.
NORTH BOSTON, N.Y. — Penn State Altoona men’s tennis student-athlete Casey Hess, of Annville, was voted the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference’s Player of the Year in the sport, headlining an all-conference team announced on Tuesday, April 29, that included five Lion student-athletes.
In addition to being the AMCC Player of the Year, Hess also was a first-team all-conference selection at No. 1 singles. Joining him on the first team of the All-AMCC squad were Andrew Chronister, of York, for No. 2 singles; Nick Beard, of Manns Choice, for No. 3 singles; Wilhelm Grotk, of Tyrone, for No. 6 singles; and the duo of Jackson Newell, of Leechburg, and Beard for No. 3 doubles.
AMCC All-Conference selections
Casey Hess, AMCC Player of the Year/No. 1 singles: Hess played all of his singles matches in the No. 1 position for Penn State Altoona this season, compiling a 10-5 overall record that included a 5-1 mark within the AMCC. He recorded the most overall wins at the No. 1 position of any player in the conference and tied for first in AMCC No. 1 singles victories. Hess was a two-time AMCC Player of the Week this past season.
Andrew Chronister, No. 2 singles: Chronister made all of his singles appearances in the Lions’ lineup at the No. 2 spot, where he compiled a 10-3 overall record and went 5-0 in the AMCC. He led all AMCC No. 2 singles players in both overall wins and conference wins at that position.
Nick Beard, No. 3 singles: Beard posted an 11-2 overall record in the No. 3 singles spot this season, including going 5-0 in the AMCC there. Overall, he finished the season with a 13-3 singles record and went 6-0 within the AMCC, ranking first in the conference in both overall and conference wins in singles play. Beard also received one AMCC Player of the Week award this season.
Wilhelm Grot, No. 6 singles: Grot made the majority of his singles appearances at the No. 6 position, where he went 6-3 overall, including a 3-0 mark within the AMCC. The sophomore led the AMCC in overall wins at No. 6, as well as conference wins in that spot. In all singles positions combined, Grot finished the year with an 8-4 overall record that included going 4-0 in the AMCC.
Jackson Newell and Nick Beard, No. 3 doubles: Newell and Beard teamed up for a 4-0 overall record at No. 3 doubles, including going 3-0 in AMCC matches there. Their four overall No. 3 doubles wins tied for the most of any duo in the conference, and their three AMCC wins there also tied for the highest total.
Penn State Altoona men’s tennis finished its 2024-25 season with an 11-6 overall record. The Lions went 5-1 within the AMCC and clinched the No. 1 seed in the conference postseason tournament, where the team eventually finished as runners-up following a loss in the championship match.
