PITMAN—The College of New Jersey’s junior Kathleen Jaeger has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Indoor Track & Field G. Larry James Most Outstanding Athlete for the 2017-18 season. Her selection highlighted the 68-member NJAC women’s indoor track & field all-conference team which was announced on February 27. All NJAC special awards were determined by a vote of the league’s nine head coaches, while the all-conference honors were based on performances at the 2017-18 NJAC Indoor Track & Field Championships which were conducted at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Complex in Staten Island on February 19.
Jaeger claimed the NJAC championship in the 800 meters with a season-best time of 2:14.10. A three-time NJAC Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week selection this season, she also was a member of the Lions’ NJAC champion 4x400 meter relay which produced an NJAC championship record time of 3:55.15. Jaeger’s winning performance in the 800 meters represented the eighth-best NCAA Division III time in the event at the time of the NJAC Championship, while the Lions’ 4x400 meter relay posted the seventh-best national time.
Rowan University sophomore Darielle Cross was selected as the NJAC Women’s Indoor Outstanding Track Athlete. She claimed the NJAC crown in the 200 meters with a personal-best time of 25.88. She also notched a third-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 8.93 which represented the ninth-best national Division III mark in the event at the time of the NJAC Championship. Cross also was a member of the Profs’ NJAC champion 4x200 meter relay which recorded a season-best time of 1:42.61.
Ramapo College senior Amber Edwards was selected as the NJAC Women’s Indoor Outstanding Field Athlete. A six-time NJAC Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week honoree this season, Edwards claimed the NJAC championship in the triple jump with a leap of 11.96 meters. She also produced a fifth-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 9.11. Edwards currently holds the best triple jump mark in all of NCAA Division III this season (12.31 meters).
Rowan freshman Hannah Vendetta was selected as the NJAC Women’s Indoor Rookie of the Year. She claimed the NJAC championship in the mile run with a personal-best time of 5:07.66. A two-time NJAC Women’s Indoor Rookie of the Week selection, she also placed sixth in the 3,000 meters (10:57.34) and was a member of the Profs’ NJAC runner-up 4x800 meter relay (10:05.08).
The College of New Jersey’s head coach Justin Lindsey was selected as the NJAC Women’s Indoor Coach of the Year by his peers. Lindsey guided the Lions to the NJAC championship with winning score of 225, giving TCNJ its first women’s indoor team title since 2010-11.