SELINSGROVE, PA - Seniors Julia Roth from women's basketball and Brandon Lavitt from men's basketball were this year's recipients of the Susquehanna University athletic department's Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards. Roth was honored with the Connie N. Harnum Award, while Lavitt received the Blair M. Heaton Award. 

The Connie N. Harnum Award is given to the senior female student-athlete who bests represents the ideals of intercollegiate athletics. It is named for Hall of Fame head coach Connie Harnum, whose tenure at Susquehanna included 27 seasons as the head field hockey coach as well as head coach of the women's tennis team.

Julia Roth graduated with a double major in both political science and criminal justice. She was twice named to the CSC Academic All-District team and was named to the Landmark Conference All-Sportsmanship team in 2023. Entering her senior season she was named a Kay Yow Servant Leader, bestowed to only 61 student-athletes across all three NCAA divisions. Julia was Co-President of SAAC, and is also part of Pi Gamma Mu Social Sciences Honors Society, where she served as President. Roth was a member of the Theta Xi Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Honors Society. Despite playing three full seasons due to injury, she added her name to the record books with 644 career rebounds, putting her in ninth all-time, while scoring 912 career points and finishing with 162 career steals. Following her prolific senior season this winter Roth achieved what very few Susquehanna women's basketball players have done, earning First Team All-Landmark, Second team All-Region, and an invitation to play in the WBCA Division III All-Star game. 

The Blair M. Heaton Award is given to the male student-athlete who best exemplifies a devotion to scholarship and athletics, along with self-discipline and courage that was characteristic of the highly-respected Susquehanna coach and math professor for whom the award is named.

Brandon Lavitt graduated with a Business Management degree, with a minor in Spanish. He was named twice to the CSC Academic All-District Men's Basketball team and was a two-time All-Landmark Conference selection. During his senior season this winter Brandon provided many heroics that helped the men's basketball team to the Landmark Conference championship and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2022. In his four years with the River Hawks Brandon's efforts helped guide the men's basketball team to the Landmark Semifinals all four years with two championship game appearances. Earlier this season Brandon became just the ninth player ever in team history to reach both 1,000 career points and 700 career rebounds with 1,255 points and 716 rebounds. Brandon was an avid member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee where he is an executive. Outside of basketball his support for fellow River Hawks was never a question, attending many Susquehanna sporting events and encouraging fellow students and student-athletes to do the same. 

A complete list of past Harnum and Heaton Award winners can be found HERE.