Rowan caps off historic year, winning NJAC Cup for the fifth time in six years
Rowan caps off historic year, winning NJAC Cup for the fifth time in six years
June 21, 2023
Profs who won top conference honors at the NJAC Awards Brunch include (from left) Marquise Young, Calista Burke, Molly Green, Emma DeMaise, Shane Vostenak, Ja'Zere Noel, Kristiina Castagnola, Tess Herman, Natalie Ogden, Ella Pennington, Jasmine Broadway and Rylee Lutz.
Capping off an unprecedented year of accomplishment, Rowan University Athletics was named the winner of the 2022-23 NJAC Cup, which recognizes overall success during the year of league competition. It is the Profs' fifth Cup in the six years that it has been awarded, and the third consecutive. The award was announced at the NJAC's annual Awards Brunch at the Hyatt Regency, which also honored all of the major award winners from the year (see list below).
The Profs earned points by garnering the regular-season titles in field hockey, volleyball, men's basketball, baseball and softball, as well as winning the NJAC Championship meets in men's cross country, men's indoor track & field and men's outdoor track & field.
Although conference tournament titles do not factor into the scoring, Rowan still made NJAC history as it captured 10 championships, the most by any school in one year of competition. The total included five won in the Fall, which was the most for any Division III school in the nation during that season.
The Profs were NJAC champions in men's cross country, field hockey, volleyball, women's soccer, and men's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's indoor track & field and men's outdoor track & field.
Rowan earned extra points with second-place regular-season finishes by women's soccer, men's swimming, women's swimming and women's lacrosse, while football garnered points as the top-finishing full-member team.
Rowan Athletics also captured the NJAC Cup in 2021-22, 2018-19, 2016-17 and the inaugural one in 2015-16. The Cup was not presented in 2019-20 or 2020-21 as they were incomplete seasons due to the pandemic.
In the year-long competition, each full-member institution is scored based on its finish in the final regular season standings or in the championship meet (for cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field) in each of the 21 sports that are sponsored by the conference. NJAC conference tournament results, NCAA postseason results, and ECAC postseason results are not factored into the scoring. The number of points awarded in each sport is determined by the number of conference participants in that sport. The total number of points earned by each school is divided by the total number of points possible based on a school's sport sponsorship pattern to determine a percentage. The institution with the highest percentage at the end of the academic year is awarded the NJAC Cup.
Rowan's major NJAC award winners
Kristiina Castagnola, Field Hockey – Female Athlete of the Year
Justin Kelly, Men's Cross Country – Runner of the Year
Shane Vostenak, Men's Cross Country – Rookie of the Year
Dustin Dimit, Men's Cross Country – Coach of the Year
Kristiina Castagola, Field Hockey –Midfielder of the Year
Tess Herman, Field Hockey - Rookie of the Year
Michelle Andre, Field Hockey – Coach of the Year
Emma DeMaise, Women's Soccer – Defensive Player of the Year
Calista Burke, Women's Soccer – Goalkeeper of the Year
Natalie Ogden, Volleyball – Player of the Year
Deana Jespersen, Volleyball – Joy Solomen Coach of the Year
Chad Yates, Men's Soccer – Pat Baldiserra Midfielder of the Year
Demetrius Poles, Women's Basketball – Coach of the Year
Ja'Zere Noel, Men's Basketball – Pony Wilson Player of the Year
Ella Pennington, Women's Swimming – Rookie of the Year
Amara Conte, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Outstanding Track Athlete
Kwaku Nkrumah, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Co-Rookie of the Year
Dustin Dimit, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Coach of the Year
Jasmine Broadway, Women's Indoor Track & Field – Outstanding Track Athlete
Rylee Lutz, Softball – Pitcher of the Year
Kim Wilson, Softball – Dr. June Walker Coach of the Year
Molly Green, Lacrosse – Midfielder of the Year
Mike Dickson, Baseball – Coach of the Year
Marquise Young, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Outstanding Track Athlete
Kwaku Nkrumah, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Rookie of the Year
Dustin Dimit, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Bill Fritz Coach of the Year
The Profs earned points by garnering the regular-season titles in field hockey, volleyball, men's basketball, baseball and softball, as well as winning the NJAC Championship meets in men's cross country, men's indoor track & field and men's outdoor track & field.
Although conference tournament titles do not factor into the scoring, Rowan still made NJAC history as it captured 10 championships, the most by any school in one year of competition. The total included five won in the Fall, which was the most for any Division III school in the nation during that season.
The Profs were NJAC champions in men's cross country, field hockey, volleyball, women's soccer, and men's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's indoor track & field and men's outdoor track & field.
Rowan earned extra points with second-place regular-season finishes by women's soccer, men's swimming, women's swimming and women's lacrosse, while football garnered points as the top-finishing full-member team.
Rowan Athletics also captured the NJAC Cup in 2021-22, 2018-19, 2016-17 and the inaugural one in 2015-16. The Cup was not presented in 2019-20 or 2020-21 as they were incomplete seasons due to the pandemic.
In the year-long competition, each full-member institution is scored based on its finish in the final regular season standings or in the championship meet (for cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field) in each of the 21 sports that are sponsored by the conference. NJAC conference tournament results, NCAA postseason results, and ECAC postseason results are not factored into the scoring. The number of points awarded in each sport is determined by the number of conference participants in that sport. The total number of points earned by each school is divided by the total number of points possible based on a school's sport sponsorship pattern to determine a percentage. The institution with the highest percentage at the end of the academic year is awarded the NJAC Cup.
Rowan's major NJAC award winners
Kristiina Castagnola, Field Hockey – Female Athlete of the Year
Justin Kelly, Men's Cross Country – Runner of the Year
Shane Vostenak, Men's Cross Country – Rookie of the Year
Dustin Dimit, Men's Cross Country – Coach of the Year
Kristiina Castagola, Field Hockey –Midfielder of the Year
Tess Herman, Field Hockey - Rookie of the Year
Michelle Andre, Field Hockey – Coach of the Year
Emma DeMaise, Women's Soccer – Defensive Player of the Year
Calista Burke, Women's Soccer – Goalkeeper of the Year
Natalie Ogden, Volleyball – Player of the Year
Deana Jespersen, Volleyball – Joy Solomen Coach of the Year
Chad Yates, Men's Soccer – Pat Baldiserra Midfielder of the Year
Demetrius Poles, Women's Basketball – Coach of the Year
Ja'Zere Noel, Men's Basketball – Pony Wilson Player of the Year
Ella Pennington, Women's Swimming – Rookie of the Year
Amara Conte, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Outstanding Track Athlete
Kwaku Nkrumah, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Co-Rookie of the Year
Dustin Dimit, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Coach of the Year
Jasmine Broadway, Women's Indoor Track & Field – Outstanding Track Athlete
Rylee Lutz, Softball – Pitcher of the Year
Kim Wilson, Softball – Dr. June Walker Coach of the Year
Molly Green, Lacrosse – Midfielder of the Year
Mike Dickson, Baseball – Coach of the Year
Marquise Young, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Outstanding Track Athlete
Kwaku Nkrumah, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Rookie of the Year
Dustin Dimit, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Bill Fritz Coach of the Year