The College of Wooster is one of the nation's elite colleges and universities when it comes to NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners. Sixteen Fighting Scots, representing 15 of the College's 23 varsity sports, have been selected for the now-$10,000 postgraduate scholarship since 2018. Over the last five academic years, Wooster's 13 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship selections are the third-most in the entire NCAA, trailing just Stanford University's 21 and Johns Hopkins University's 16, per results compiled from public NCAA releases. Since 2018, Wooster has finished in the top-five for recipients three times, including 2021-22, when the Scots tied for first in the entire NCAA for most selections.
Of note, Wooster has had more NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients over the last five years than the entire Ivy League (11, led by Princeton University's seven) and the New England Small College Athletic Conference (eight, led by Middlebury College's three). In fact, the North Coast Athletic Conference's 41 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients over the last five years are the third-most of any conference using 2024-25 conference alignments, trailing just the Southeastern Conference's 81 and the Atlantic Coast Conference's 58.
"This is a truly remarkable achievement for a college of our size," shared Lynn Holleran, Wooster's director of athletics and physical education. "Our Fighting Scots excel both athletically and academically. Our NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients distinguished themselves with a commitment to their sport and discipline that is unmatched. We have no shortage of exceptional Fighting Scots, and our faculty athletic representatives, Drew Pasteur and Shelley Judge, do a remarkable job leading the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship nomination process and have as strong track record of successful nominees."
Wooster's NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients fully embody what it means to be a Fighting Scot and a NCAA Div. III student-athlete. Winners from Wooster since 2018 majored in 16 different fields of study. They all have a signature passion from being a student at Wooster that stands out on the application. Prime examples include leading Wooster's student government, Scot Council, groundbreaking research as part of their Independent Study, traveling abroad to work with international governmental advocacy organizations, research or internships at the nation's leading research institutions and Fortune 500 companies, working as health coaches in the community through the College's partnership with the Wooster Community Hospital Community Care Network, plus much more. Athletically, most of Wooster's recipients earned All-NCAC honors and beyond. The majority graduated with at least a 3.90 GPA.
Wooster's faculty athletic representatives Pasteur, professor of mathematics, and Judge, professor of earth sciences, solicit nominees each season from administrators and coaches in the athletics department. Wooster's FARs then schedule individual meetings with potential nominees to go over the nomination process and formulate a plan for a hopeful successful nomination.
"The same credentials that have opened doors for Fighting Scots alumni at Princeton, Oxford, and Cambridge also make them great candidates for this prestigious award," shared Pasteur. "Wooster sets our graduates up for success with its emphasis on experiential learning, including a highly-ranked senior capstone experience, summer internships at Fortune 500 corporations, and the community health coach program. Every year, we see that Wooster's top scholar-athletes are the equal of those at the most selective colleges and universities in the nation."
"Drew and I are delighted each season to nominate our Wooster student-athletes for the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship," added Judge. Year after year, this is one of the highlights of our roles as faculty athletic representatives. We work with amazing, high-achieving, intrinsically motivated student-athletes who excel in the classroom, in the community, and in their respective sports. Our student-athletes shine brightly, cheered on by a village here at Wooster that supports each nomination. Working with such a dedicated team has been an outstanding experience, and it is the strength of this synergistic collaboration that has supported our student-athletes throughout the application process."
Here is list of Wooster's NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients since 2018, where they went to graduate or medical school, and what their current occupation is:
Patrick Mohorcic '18
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Football
Major: Political Science
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2018
Graduate School: Cleveland State University
Graduate Degree: Master of Public Administration – Public Financial Management
Current Occupation: Executive Director at Lake Development Authority in Lake County, Ohio and City Council Member for City of Willowick
Summary of Current Occupation: Mohorcic serves as the chief executive officer for the Lake Development Authority, which fosters job creation and enhances the economic welfare of Lake County residents. As chief executive officer, Mohorcic leverages various economic development tools, focusing on economic development, coastal development, and managing the Lake County Executive Airport. He was elected to Willowick's city council and chairs the finance committee and the streets, sewers, and sidewalks committee.
Titas Bera '18
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Tennis
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2018 and 2020
Graduate School: University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences
Graduate Degree: M.D.
Current Occupation: Resident Internal Medicine Physician at University of Cincinnati Health in Cincinnati, Ohio
Summary of Current Occupation: As a first-year internal medicine resident, Bera manages the care of adult patients admitted to the hospital for a variety of reasons. Under the close guidance of attending physicians, Bera strives to expand clinical skills and medical knowledge with the ultimate goal of independently diagnosing and managing a wide range of adult diseases in the future.
Emily Howerton '17
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Golf
Majors: Mathematics and Philosophy
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2018
Graduate School: Pennsylvania State University
Graduate Degree: Biology
Current Occupation: Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University
Summary of Current Occupation: At Princeton, Howerton develops mathematical models to predict the spread of infectious diseases and anticipate the effectiveness of control strategies such as vaccination. Howerton's current research focuses on respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and RSV.
Wesley Wagner '20
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Lacrosse
Major: Chemistry
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2020
Graduate School: Washington University in St. Louis
Graduate Degree: Ph.D. in Chemistry
Current Occupation: Ph.D. candidate
Summary of Current Occupation: Wagner's Ph.D. research centers on determining the structure, dynamics, and interactions with ligands for various proteins.
Andreas Xenofontos '21
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Soccer
Major: Business Economics
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2020
Graduate School: University of New Haven
Graduate Degree: Sports Management and Business Analytics
Current Occupation: Media Analyst at BMG360 in Connecticut and New York City
Summary of Current Occupation: Xenofontos optimizes media spending and audience targeting using advanced data analysis techniques and works to consistently enhance campaign performance based on client budgets. Additionally, Xenofontos co-founded Ludius Student-Athletes, a consulting firm that assists aspiring student-athletes in securing athletic scholarships to attend colleges and universities in the United States.
Jack Redick '21
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Lacrosse
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2021
Graduate School: The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Graduate Degree: M.D.
Current Occupation: Medical School Student
Summary of Current Occupation: Redick is in his fourth year of medical school and is on target to graduate with a M.D. in May. Redick is currently applying for internal medicine residency programs. Outside of his studies, Redick works in the hospital and performs daily duties under the supervision of an attending physician. Redick works in general medicine and the cardiac intensive care unit.
David Roney '21
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Golf
Majors: Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychology
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2021
Graduate School: University of Colorado Boulder
Graduate Degree: Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Current Occupation: Speech-Language Pathologist at FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers in Parker, Colorado
Summary of Current Occupation: Roney is a speech-language pathologist working with children and adults with a variety of communication disorders. Roney works in the areas of speech articulation, language disorders, stuttering, stroke rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, augmentative-alternative communication, and with those on the autism spectrum.
Syd Case '22
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Volleyball
Major: Environmental Geoscience
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2022
Graduate School: North Carolina State University
Graduate Degree: Natural Resources and Geographic Information Systems
Current Occupation: Geographer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in St. Paul, Minnesota
Summary of Current Occupation: Case utilizes geospatial tools, software, and drones to create maps, interactive dashboards, web applications, and three-dimensional models for environmental and engineering projects for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Case's primary mission is to improve and maintain Mississippi River navigation and assist with emergency management operations.
Wilson Freije '21
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Soccer
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2022
Graduate School: Indiana University School of Medicine
Graduate Degree: M.D.
Current Occupation: Medical School Student
Summary of Current Occupation: Freije is currently on clinical rotations, gaining experience with various specialties, including surgery and pediatrics.
Miura Wiley '21
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sports Played: Soccer and Lacrosse
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2022
Graduate School: Case Western Reserve University
Graduate Degree: Genetic Counseling
Current Occupation: Genetic Counselor at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio
Summary of Current Occupation: Wiley meets with patients with a personal or family history of cancer to discuss the risks of an inherited cancer predisposition. Additionally, Wiley orders and interprets genetic testing and talks about screening and management of cancer risks.
Brooke Swain '22
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sports Played: Softball and Volleyball
Major: Biology
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2022
Graduate School: University of Iowa College of Dentistry
Graduate Degree: Dentistry
Current Occupation: Dental Student
Summary of Current Occupation: Swain is currently completing rotations for dental specialties as a third-year dental school student. Swain treats patients during the week while maintaining a full class schedule. At present, Swain's rotations include work with prosthodontics, periodontics, and endodontics.
Isabelle Hoover '23
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sports Played: Cross Country and Track and Field
Majors: Art History and Classical Languages
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2023
Graduate School: University of Cambridge
Graduate Degree: Art History
Current Occupation: Applying for Ph.D. programs
Summary of Current Occupation: Hoover graduated from Cambridge with a Master of Philosophy degree in art history in July and is in the process of applying for Ph.D. programs and searching for a longterm position in the art history industry.
Noah Golovan '23
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Swimming and Diving
Majors: Philosophy and Political Science
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2023
Graduate School: The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Graduate Degree: J.D.
Current Occupation: Law Student
Summary of Current Occupation: Golovan started law school as a clerk for Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick Fischer. Golovan gained field experience at Brennan Manna Diamond and is currently working as an extern in corporate law for a Fortune 500 company. Golovan assists attorneys in the various practice groups in areas of privacy, real estate, ethics, compliance, intellectual property, regulatory, and marketing. In 2025, Golovan is set to work at Benesch Law Firm in Cleveland over the summer.
Lake Barrett '23
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sport Played: Football
Majors: Biology and Education
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2024
Graduate School: University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
Graduate Degree: Education
Current Occupation: Teacher at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey
Summary of Current Occupation: Barrett is a teaching fellow teaching courses in inquiries in biology and environmental science while working towards a master's degree at Penn.
Athena Tharenos '24
NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Release
Sports Played: Cross Country and Track and Field
Majors: Anthropology, Chinese Studies, and Environmental Geoscience
Year Selected for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship: 2024
Graduate School: University of Oxford
Graduate Degree: Developmental Studies
Current Occupation: Graduate Student
Summary of Current Occupation: Tharenos is currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy degree in developmental studies at Oxford.
About NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships
The NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships annually. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are at least in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The one-time, non-renewable scholarships of $10,000 are awarded three times a year, corresponding to each sport season (fall, winter, and spring). There are 21 scholarships available for men and 21 scholarships available for women for use in an accredited graduate program each sports season. All former student-athletes who earned an undergraduate degree from an NCAA member school are eligible to be nominated by their alma mater, regardless of when they received their undergraduate degree.
