February 8, 2007

TCNJ SELECTED AS BASEBALL FAVORITE
IN POLL OF LEAGUE'S HEAD COACHES

DEFENDING NJAC CHAMPIONS SEEKING THEIR SEVENTH CONFERENCE CROWN

After capturing the NJAC Championship and advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Division III Tournament Boyertown Regional in 2006, The College of New Jersey has been selected as the 2007 preseason baseball favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The two-time defending champion Lions, who finished their 2006 campaign with an overall record of 38-8, are seeking their seventh conference title since the inception of the NJAC baseball championship back in 1958.
 
TCNJ was selected to finish first on six-of-the-ten ballots cast by the league’s head coaches. Under the direction of 26th-year head coach Rick Dell, the Lions have posted an overall record of 674-320-10. TCNJ won a share of the 2006 NJAC regular season championship with a 13-5 conference regular season mark and captured the NJAC Tournament title as the third-seed. The Lions, who have advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament in each of the past two seasons, return three all-conference players including the 2006 NCAA Division III and NJAC Player of the Year in senior catcher Gerard Haran. In addition, Dell’s squad returns a pair of all-conference performers in senior first baseman Blake Bullis and junior left-handed pitcher Bob Buskett.
 
Montclair State University was selected to finish second and received two first place votes. The Red Hawks posted a 35-19-2 overall record in 2006 and captured a share of the NJAC regular season championship with a 13-5 league mark. Montclair earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament and won the Boyertown Regional to advance to the NCAA Division III National Championship Series in Grand Chute, WI. Now in his 20th year at the helm of the Red Hawk program, head coach Norm Schoenig has guided MSU to a 559-282-10 overall mark. Montclair returns a pair of all-conference performers in senior designated hitter Rob Bowness and junior right-handed pitcher Nick Recchia. 

Kean University, which finished its 2006 campaign with a 31-17 overall record while earning an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament, was selected to place third and received one first place vote. Led by 10th-year head coach Neil Ioviero, the Cougars have compiled a 238-117-2 overall record during his tenure. Kean returns a league-high six all-conference players from its 2006 squad including senior shortstop Perry Schatzow, senior right-handed pitcher Joe Augustine, senior first baseman Aaron Richard, junior second baseman Maikel DeLaRosa, senior outfielder Joe D’Andrea, and the 2006 NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore designated hitter Mike Shymanski.

William Paterson University, which finished 26-14 overall in 2006 while capturing a share of the NJAC regular season championship with a 13-5 conference mark, was selected to place fourth and received one first place vote. The Pioneers return three all-conference performers from its 2006 squad in senior infielder Ted King, senior right-handed pitcher Mike Irwin, and senior outfielder Rick Pignatello. Led by the 2006 NJAC Coach of the Year in Jeff Albies, William Paterson has accumulated an overall record of 843-384-10 during his 32-year tenure in Wayne.

After posting a 30-15 overall record in 2006 en route to an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament, Rowan University was tapped to place fifth. The Profs return two of the league’s 2006 major award winners in junior left-hander Ryan Kulik, the 2006 NJAC Pitcher of the Year, and senior right-hander Tyler Dempsey, the 2006 NJAC Fireman of the Year. In addition, Rowan returns a pair of all-conference performers in junior third baseman Bruce Reibis and senior outfielder Tim Edmeads. With his return to the Prof program in 2006, head coach Juan Ranero has accumulated a 142-89-1 coaching record in his six years at Rowan.

Rutgers University-Camden, under the direction of ninth-year head coach Keith Williams, was selected to place sixth. Williams has guided his squad to a 147-139-1 overall record during his tenure, including a mark of 22-15 in 2006. The Scarlet Raptors return a pair of all-conference performers in senior outfielder Mike Morris and senior right-handed pitcher Jason Ronca.
 
After capturing the ECAC Metro NY/NJ Tournament Championship en route to finishing the 2006 season with a 23-20 overall mark, Rutgers-Newark was tapped to place seventh. Newark is led by sixth-year head coach Mark Rizzi. The Scarlet Raiders return one all-conference performer from their 2006 squad in senior left-handed pitcher Tom Reynolds.

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Richard Stockton College, was selected to place eighth. The Ospreys are led by fifth-year head coach Marty Kavanagh.

Under the direction of seventh-year head coach Rich Martin, Ramapo college was tapped to place ninth. The Roadrunners have posted an overall record of 124-110-1 under Martin’s leadership.
 
New Jersey City University, under the direction of 18th-year head coach Ken Heaton, was selected to place 10th. The Gothic Knights return one all-conference performer from their 2006 squad in junior outfielder Rob Sumner.

Non-conference play in the NJAC will get underway on Tuesday, February 13 when Rowan travels to face Salisbury. League play will begin 44 days later on Thursday, March 29.
 
The top six conference regular season finishers will advance to the double-elimination 2007 NJAC Tournament which will begin at campus sites on Thursday, May 3. All six of the participating teams will then travel to Bears and Eagles Stadium in Newark where the remainder of the tournament will be conducted from Saturday, May 5 through Monday, May 7. The winner of the NJAC Tournament receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.