After posting an overall record of 20-7 while advancing to the 2002-03 NJAC Tournament Championship game, The College of New Jersey has been selected as the 2003-04 preseason favorite to win the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship in a poll of the league's 10 head coaches. The Lions are seeking their second NJAC crown and first since the 2000-01 season.

For the 2003-04 season, the 10 conference men's and women's basketball teams have been split into two divisions (Blue and Gold). Teams will play a 13-game conference schedule featuring two games against opponents within their division, and one contest against opponents in the opposite division.

The Lions received nine-of the-ten overall champion votes and were the coaches' unanimous choice to finish first in the Blue Division. TCNJ returns one 2002-03 all-conference player in senior forward Liz Martin.

Montclair State, which returns the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year in senior forward Ebony Allen, was selected as the second-place finisher in the Blue Division. In addition, the Red Hawks were tapped as the league's dark horse selection while garnering the only other overall champion vote in the poll. William Paterson was tapped for third place in the Blue Division, while defending league champion Rutgers-Camden and New Jersey City were selected fourth and fifth respectively.

After posting a league-best 15-3 NJAC regular season record in 2002-03, Kean was selected to finish first in the Gold Division. Reining NJAC Coach of the Year Michele Sharp and her Cougars return all-conference players in senior guard Kellie Rice and senior forward Shevron James, the 2002-03 NJAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Richard Stockton, which advanced to the 2002-03 NJAC Tournament semifinals, was picked second in the Gold Division. The Ospreys return all-conference senior guard Christina Mason. Rowan was tapped for third place in the Gold Division, while Ramapo and Rutgers-Newark were selected fourth and fifth respectively.

Along with the new conference divisional alignment, the league's post-season tournament has been expanded as well. The top three teams in each division will qualify for the 2003-04 NJAC Tournament with the first place teams in each division receiving a first round bye. The women's tournament will kickoff on February 23 with the second-place team in the Blue Division hosting the third-place team in the Gold Division. The other first round game will feature the third-place team in the Blue Division traveling to face the second-place team in the Gold Division.

The tournament semifinals will take place on February 25 as the first-place finisher in the Gold Division will host the winner of the third-place Gold/second-place Blue game. In the other semifinal, the first-place finisher in the Blue Division will host the winner of the third-place Blue/second-place Gold game.

The two semifinal winners will meet at the site of the highest remaining seed in  the 2003-04 NJAC Championship game on February 27. The Tournament winner receives the league's automatic bid to the 2003-04 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.