February 9, 2007

WILLIAM PATERSON SELECTED AS SOFTBALL FAVORITE
IN POLL OF LEAGUE'S HEAD COACHES

PIONEERS SEEKING THEIR FOURTH CONFERENCE CROWN

After finishing the 2006 season with a 29-11 overall record, William Paterson University has been selected as the 2006 preseason softball favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Pioneers, who captured NJAC championships in 2003 and 2005, are seeking their fourth league title since the inception of the NJAC softball championship back in 1983.
 
William Paterson was selected to finish first on five-of-the-ten ballots cast by the league’s head coaches. Under the direction of 13th-year head coach Hallie Cohen, the Pioneers have posted an overall record of 319-161-2. Overall, Cohen’s career coaching mark stands at 514-306-3. Paterson posted a 12-6 record in the 2006 NJAC regular season for a fourth place finish. Cohen’s squad returns four all conference players in senior second baseman April Sardinas-Wyssling, junior right-handed pitcher Diana Schraer, senior outfielder Brandi Kavaliauskas, and senior shortstop Alicia Albert.
 
The defending NCAA Division III National Champions, Rutgers University-Camden was selected to place second and received two first place votes. Under the direction of 2006 NJAC Coach of the Year Carl Taylor, the Scarlet Raptors have posted a record of 218-115-2 during his 11-year tenure, including a school-best 47-5 overall mark in 2006. Camden won the 2006 NJAC regular season title with a perfect 18-0 mark and went on to capture their second NJAC tournament title in a three-year span. After winning the NCAA Tournament Camden Regional, the Raptors became just the second NJAC team in league history to earn a national crown in softball when they were victorious in the NCAA Division III National Championship Series. Camden returns four all-conference players from its national championship squad including senior catcher Mo Baney, junior first baseman Kathleen Dreitlein, senior outfielder Autumn Millett, and junior outfielder Amber Parker.

Rowan University, which finished the 2005 season with a 41-7 overall record, placed third in the poll and received two first place votes. Eleventh-year head coach Kim Wilson has led the Profs to a 319-110 record during her tenure in Glassboro, and has produced an overall career coaching mark of 383-167. Rowan, which finished second in the 2006 NJAC regular season race with a league mark of 15-3 en route to an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament, returns four all-conference players including junior second baseman Lauren Navarro, junior third baseman Kristin Wallace, sophomore outfielder Kristina Brenner, and senior catcher Jen Lake.

Ramapo College, which finished the 2006 season with a 36-13 record, was selected to place fourth and received one first place vote. After finishing third in the 2006 NJAC regular season race with a 12-6 league mark, the Roadrunners earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament where they captured the championship of the Salisbury Regional and advanced to the NCAA Division III National Championship Series. Led by ninth-year head coach Ben Allen, Ramapo has accumulated an overall record of 225-107. Allen’s squad returns a pair of all-conference performers in senior first baseman Elizabeth Choma and senior shortstop Michele Rossi.
 
Montclair State University, under the leadership of 17th-year head coach Anita Kubicka, was selected to place fifth. Kubicka has led the Red Hawks to a 506-193-2 overall record during her tenure, including a 33-13 mark in 2006. After capturing their seventh consecutive ECAC South Tournament Championship in 2006, the Red Hawks return four all-conference players in junior third baseman Jackie Ferranti, senior catcher Megan Tantum, junior outfielder Maureen Shockley, and the 2006 NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore shortstop Jennifer Jimenez.
 
After posting a 25-16 overall record in 2006, The College of New Jersey was selected to finish sixth. Led by 12th-year head coach Sally Miller, the Lions have posted an overall mark of 314-127-2 during her tenure. TCNJ returns three all-conference players in senior right-handed pitcher Julianne Lajiness, junior outfielder Christina Lizzi, and senior outfielder Kristin Boyer.

Kean University, which earned a selection to the ECAC South Tournament in 2006 before finishing with a 22-22 overall record, was selected to finish seventh. Led by eighth-year head coach Margie Acker, the Cougars return a trio of all-conference performers in junior second baseman Kara Schultz, junior shortstop Johanna Hedler, and sophomore right-handed pitcher Maryelise Gierke.

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Richard Stockton College was tapped to place eighth. The longest-tenured of all the NJAC softball coaches in her 21st season, Val Julien has led the Ospreys to 314 victories during her tenure in Pomona. Stockton earned a selection to the ECAC South Tournament in 2006 and finished the year with a 23-20 overall record.
 
Rutgers-Newark, which posted 18 victories in 2006 in its initial season under the direction of head coach Lauren Peloquin, was selected to place ninth. The Scarlet Raiders return one all-conference player in senior third baseman Jen Raido.

New Jersey City University, under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Bridgette Quimpo, was selected to place 10th.

Non-conference play in the NJAC will get underway on Friday, March 2 when Rowan, Rutgers-Camden, and Rutgers-Newark all will travel to Virginia Beach, VA to compete in the Atlantic versus East Challenge hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College. NJAC league play begins 29 days later with the first conference contests scheduled for Saturday, March 31.
 
The top six regular season finishers will advance to the double-elimination 2007 NJAC Tournament which will begin at campus sites on Tuesday, May 1. All six of the participating teams will then travel to the site of the top-seed where the remainder of the tournament will be conducted from Friday, May 4 through Sunday, May 6. The winner of the NJAC Tournament receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.