PITMAN--The College of New Jersey has been selected as the favorite to win the 2009-10 New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Swimming & Diving Championship in a preseason poll of the league’s five head coaches. The defending conference champion Lions will be seeking their ninth NJAC title in program history, and their second consecutive league crown since the return of women’s swimming & diving as a conference sport in the 2008-09 academic year.

 
TCNJ, which received all five first-place votes from the league coaches, finished the 2008-09 season with an 8-2 overall record and captured the league championship with a perfect 4-0 conference record. The Lions claimed the first conference crown awarded since 2002-03, as the NJAC did not sponsor the sport of women’s swimming & diving for five consecutive seasons due to a lack of conference teams.

Led by the 2008-09 NJAC Coach of the Year in Jennifer Harnett, the Lions return eight all-conference performers from their NJAC championship team including the reigning NJAC Swimmer of the Year in junior Margaret Molloy (all-conference in 200, 500, & 1650 freestyles; 200, 400 & 800 freestyle relays) and the league Rookie of the Year in sophomore Laura Pierce (100 butterfly; 200 & 400 freestyle relays; 200 medley relay). Other returning all-conference performers for TCNJ include sophomore Traci Hofer (50 freestyle; 200, 400 & 800 freestyle relays; 200 medley relay), senior Christina Falcone (200 butterfly), junior Katie Morgan (200 breaststroke; 200 individual medley; 100 breaststroke), sophomore Melissa Hessler (400 individual medley; 500 freestyle; 400 & 800 freestyle relays), junior Jennifer Rashti (200 freestyle), and junior Kristen Prentice (1650 freestyle). In eight seasons at the helm of the Lions program, Harnett has guided TCNJ to an overall record of 44-40.

Rowan University, which placed second in the NJAC in 2008-09 with a 3-1 league mark, was selected to place second and was tapped as the coaches’ dark horse selection. The 2009-10 season will mark the return of Tony Lisa as the head coach of the Profs. In his previous tenure in Glassboro, Lisa guided the Rowan women’s team to a 169-51 overall record during 21 seasons. Lisa inherits a team which returns the 2008-09 NJAC Diver of the Year in sophomore Samantha Rottkamp. Rottkamp claimed NJAC championships in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events in 2008-09. 

Montclair State University, led by 21st-year head coach Brian McLaughlin, was selected to place third. The Red Hawks have produced an overall mark of 122-131 during McLaughlin’s tenure, including a record of 5-8 in 2008-09. MSU returns five all-conference performers from their 2008-09 squad including junior Laura Spadoni (100 & 200 breaststrokes; 400 medley relay), senior Jessica Patalano (800 freestyle relay), junior Galina Loutchouk (800 freestyle relay), senior Laura Flynn (400 medley relay), and sophomore Lauren Uckar (400 medley relay).

William Paterson University, which finished third in the NJAC in 2008-09 and posted an overall record of 12-2, was selected to place fourth. Led by 34th-year head coach Ed Gurka, the Pioneers have produced an overall record of 294-142-3 under his leadership. William Paterson returns three all-conference performers from their 2008-09 squad including senior Caitlin Rotondo (200 & 400 freestyle relays; 200 & 400 medley relays), sophomore Lesly Mendoza (400 freestyle relay; 200 & 400 medley relays), and sophomore Brett Kuchin (200 freestyle relay & 200 medley relay). 

Ramapo College, led by second-year head coach Gary Orr, was selected to place fifth. Orr successfully guided the Roadrunners to their first varsity season in 2008-09, posting a 3-9 overall record including non-conference victories over Drew University, Pace University, and King’s College.

The 19th season of NJAC women’s swimming & diving will kickoff on October 17 when Montclair State travels to face Stevens Institute of Technology in a non-conference meet. League competition will begin four days later on October 21 when Rowan travels to face William Paterson in the first conference meet of the year.

The NJAC does not conduct a conference championship meet in women’s swimming & diving, meaning the league championship is awarded to the team with the best record in regular season conference competition. NJAC all-conference honors and special awards will be based on performances at the Metropolitan Swimming & Diving Championships which will be held at Rutgers University on February 19-21.