PITMAN—After advancing to the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament en route to a 22-7 record overall, Stockton University has been selected as the favorite to win the 2016-17 New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship in a preseason poll of the league’s 10 head coaches. The Ospreys will be seeking their third NJAC title in program history and their first since 2004-05.
Stockton was selected to finish first on 6-of-the-10 ballots cast by the league coaches. The 2015-16 Ospreys finished third in the NJAC regular season with a 14-4 mark in conference play. After receiving an at-large selection to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, Stockton produced a first round win over Clarkson before falling in the NCAA second round to Rochester. Now in his 25th season as head coach, Joe Fussner has guided the Ospreys to an overall record of 375-264 during his tenure in Galloway. Stockton returns a trio of all-conference players from its 2015-16 NCAA Tournament team, including junior guard Lea Mendolla, junior forward Najha Treadwell, and the two-time reigning NJAC Defensive Player of the Year in junior forward Sasha Williams.
Montclair State University, which captured its fourth consecutive NJAC championship in 2015-16, was selected to place second and received four first-place votes. The 2015-16 Red Hawks claimed a share of the NJAC regular season championship with a 15-3 mark in league play en route to a 22-7 record overall. MSU then won the 2016 NJAC Tournament and went on to produce an NCAA Tournament first round win over SUNYIT, before falling in the NCAA second round in overtime to Albright. Led by the 2015-16 NJAC Coach of the Year in Karin Harvey, MSU has produced a record of 196-63 during her tenure, while Harvey’s career collegiate coaching record stands at 209-77. The Red Hawks return a pair of all-conference players from their 2015-16 NJAC championship team, including junior guard Katie Sire and senior guard Rachael Krauss.
Kean University, which finished 15-11 in 2015-16, was selected to place third. The 2015-16 Cougars finished fourth in the NJAC regular season race with a 10-8 conference record. Fifth-year head coach Mandy King has guided Kean to an overall record of 50-54 during her tenure in Union, while her career collegiate coaching record stands at 173-170. Kean returns a pair of all-conference players from its 2015-16 squad, including senior guard Jaquetta Owens, and the 2015-16 NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore guard Marajiah Bacon.
The College of New Jersey, led by 24th-year head coach Dawn Henderson, was selected to place fourth. Henderson, who has indicated that 2016-17 will be her final season in Ewing, has produced a record of 425-191 at TCNJ, while her career collegiate coaching record stands at 471-241. The 2015-16 Lions finished 13-12 overall, placing seventh in the NJAC conference race with a 9-9 mark in league play.
Rowan University, which claimed a share of the 2015-16 NJAC regular season championship en route to an NCAA Tournament at-large berth, was selected to place fifth. The 2015-16 Profs finished 23-6 overall and 15-3 in league play. In the 2016 NCAA Tournament, the Profs claimed a first round win over New Paltz before falling to Amherst in the NCAA second round. Now in her 17th season at Rowan, Gabby Lisella has guided the Profs to a mark of 211-196, giving her 290 career collegiate coaching victories. Rowan returns one all-conference player from its 2016 NCAA Tournament team in senior guard Anyssa Sanchez.
William Paterson University, led by 24th-year head coach Erin Monahan, was selected to place sixth. Monahan has guided her alma mater to an overall record of 443-186, including a mark of 15-12 in 2015-16. The Pioneers return one all-conference player from a 2015-16 squad which posted a fifth place finish in league play with a conference mark of 10-8, in junior guard Jackie Rodriguez.
The coaches’ dark horse selection, Rutgers University-Newark was selected to place seventh. Second-year head coach Ashley Cieplicki guided the Scarlet Raiders to an 8-17 overall record during her rookie season of 2015-16. Rutgers-Newark returns one all-conference player from the 2015-16 season in senior guard Maria Simmons.
Rutgers University-Camden, which earned berths in both the NJAC and ECAC Metro/Upstate Tournaments in 2015-16, was selected to place eighth. The 2015-16 Scarlet Raptors notched a 15-11 overall record while finishing sixth in the league race with a 10-8 mark in conference play. Fourth-year head coach Annette Reiter has guided Rutgers-Camden to 29 victories, giving her 35 career wins on the collegiate level.
Ramapo College, under the leadership of ninth-year head coach Mike Eineker, was selected to place ninth. Eineker has guided Ramapo to 89 wins during his tenure in Mahwah, giving him 176 collegiate coaching victories for his career. The 2015-16 Roadrunners finished 5-20 overall.
New Jersey City University, led by second-year head coach Robyn Burton, was selected to place 10th. The 2015-16 Gothic Knights finished 1-23 overall.
The 35th season of NJAC women’s basketball will tip-off on Tuesday, November 15 with eight league teams in non-conference action. Conference play will begin just seven days later when all 10 league teams participate in their conference-openers on Tuesday, November 22.
The top six finishers in the conference standings will participate in the 2016-17 NJAC Championship Tournament. First round tournament games will take place on Saturday, February 18, with the sixth-seeded team hosting the third-seeded team, and the fourth-seeded team hosting the fifth-seeded team. The top two seeds will each receive a first round bye.
The NJAC Tournament Semifinals will be hosted by the top two seeds on Wednesday, February 22. The two semifinal winners will advance to the 2016-17 NJAC Championship Game on Saturday, February 25, to be contested at the site of the highest remaining seed.
The NJAC Tournament Champion receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
2016-17 NJAC Women's Basketball
Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Stockton (6)
2. Montclair State (4)
3. Kean
4. The College of New Jersey
5. Rowan
6. William Paterson
7. Rutgers-Newark (dark horse)
8. Rutgers-Camden
9. Ramapo
10. New Jersey City
First Place Votes In Parentheses