New Jersey City University sophomore middle blocker Lizzelle Cintron and Richard Stockton College senior outside hitter Whitney Verduin have been named Volleyball Co-Players of the Year in the New Jersey Athletic Conference for the 2005 season. In total, 13 student-athletes received all-conference recognition in NJAC volleyball in 2005. All selections were determined by a vote of the league’s eight head coaches.

A four-time NJAC Player of the Week selection, Cintron led the Gothic Knights to the NJAC Championship and the school’s first NJAC title in any women’s sport. She currently leads the conference in hitting percentage (.399), kills per game (5.05), blocks per game (1.66), and points per game (6.65). Nationally, she ranks fifth in NCAA Division III in kills, sixth in blocks, and 13^th in hitting percentage. With an overall record of 26-7, Cintron will lead the Gothic Knights to their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament via the NJAC’s automatic qualification. NJCU will open NCAA Tournament play on November 10 with a first round contest against Ithaca at New York University.

A four-year NJAC all-conference selection, Verduin garnered Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season after leading the Ospreys to an appearance in the NJAC Championship match for the third straight year. A three-time NJAC Player of the Week selection during the season, she currently ranks second in the conference in both kills per game (4.75), and points per game (5.43), while ranking fifth in the league in hitting percentage (.281). By virtue of a 27-8 record, Verduin and the Ospreys earned their second consecutive appearance in the ECAC Division III South Tournament. Stockton will open ECAC Tournament play on November 11 when they will face Johns Hopkins in a first round contest at Lebanon Valley.

Richard Stockton junior libero Colleen Bachmann was selected as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Bachman currently ranks second in the NJAC in digs per game (5.31) and eighth in the conference in service aces per game (0.62).

NJCU freshman outside hitter Jacqueline LeBlanc was named NJAC Rookie of the Year. A four-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection in 2005, LeBlanc currently ranks ninth in the conference in kills per game (3.40) and 10^th in the league in hitting percentage (.219).

Richard Stockton seventh-year head coach Eric Illjes was selected as the 2005 NJAC Coach of the Year by her peers. Illjes has posted a career record of 157-89 while guiding the Ospreys to three consecutive appearances in the NJAC Championship match and two consecutive berths in the ECAC Division III South Tournament.

2005 NJAC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS