NJAC NEWS ARCHIVE

 2004-05

November 10, 2004


STOCKTON'S VERDUIN NAMED NJAC VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR


ROWAN'S GOMEZ SELECTED AS THE NJAC'S FIRST EVER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR


Richard Stockton College junior outside hitter Whitney Verduin has been named the 2004 NJAC Volleyball Player of the Year.

A three-time NJAC all-conference selection, Verduin has been named NJAC Player of the Week five times in her career, including three selections during the 2004 season. She currently ranks second in the conference in kills (4.81 per game) and fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.292). After leading Stockton to an appearance in the 2004 NJAC Championship Match and an overall record of 24-8, Verduin and the Ospreys have earned an ECAC postseason tournament invitation. Sixth-seeded Stockton will face third-seeded FDU-Florham in the first round of the ECAC Tournament at Carnegie Mellon University on November 12.

Rowan senior libero Marcela Gomez was the first ever player chosen for the conference’s newly instituted award of Defensive Player of the Year. A two-time all-conference selection for the Profs, she currently leads the NJAC in digs with an average of 5.21 per game. In her four-year career, Gomez has accumulated 2004 digs in 368 games played.

Rutgers-Newark freshman outside hitter Allison Becker was named NJAC Rookie of the Year. A four-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection in 2004, Becker currently ranks third in the conference in kills with an average of 3.53 per game.


Rowan rookie head coach Lori Staszewski was selected as the 2004 NJAC Coach of the Year by her peers. In her first year at the helm of the Rowan program, she guided the Profs to a 27-3 overall record and the 2004 NJAC Tournament Championship. As champions of the NJAC, Rowan will now represent the conference as its automatic qualifier in the NCAA National Championship Tournament. The Profs will open play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on November 11 against Stevens Institute of Technology at Ithaca College. 

2004 NJAC ALL-CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAM