PITMAN--After advancing to the national semifinals of the 2017 NCAA Tournament en route to a 21-1-1 overall record, The College of New Jersey has been selected as the 2018 preseason women’s soccer favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Lions will be seeking their 18th NJAC championship since the inception of women’s soccer as an NJAC championship sport back in 1994. 

The 2017 Lions claimed their second consecutive undefeated NJAC regular season title before capturing the conference crown for the first time since 2013 with NJAC Tournament shutout victories over Stockton and Montclair State. In NCAA Tournament play, TCNJ produced victories over Roger Williams, Virginia Wesleyan, Lynchburg, and Messiah, before falling in the national semifinals to the Division III runner-up University of Chicago.

TCNJ, which garnered 7-of-the-10 first-place votes cast by the league coaches, will be led by the longest-tenured NJAC women’s soccer coach in 29th-year leader Joe Russo. Under the direction of the 2017 NJAC Coach of the Year, the Lions have produced an overall record of 503-63-41. TCNJ returns a pair of all-conference performers from its 2017 NJAC championship squad, including junior midfielder Taylor Nolan, and the 2017 NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year in junior Nicole DiPasquale.

Rowan University, which finished second in the 2017 NJAC regular season race with a 7-1-1 mark in conference play, was selected to again place second and received three first-place votes. The 2017 Profs finished 12-3-3 overall and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, marking the program’s third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.  Under the leadership of 20th-year head coach Scott Leacott, the Profs have produced an overall record of 265-77-29. Rowan returns a trio of all-conference players from their 2017 NCAA Tournament squad, including junior midfielder Darah Wagner, senior back Ali Hicks, and senior goalkeeper Shelby Money.

Montclair State University, which advanced to the championship match of the 2017 NJAC Tournament en route to a 10-5-5 overall record, was selected to place third. The 2017 Red Hawks earned a third-place NJAC finish with a 6-1-2 mark in conference play. Ninth-year head coach Patrick Naughter has guided MSU to an overall record of 115-31-21 during this tenure in Montclair. The Red Hawks return a league-high five NJAC all-conference players from their 2017 NJAC runner-up squad, including senior back Ashley Koester, junior forward Emily Beenders, senior forward Michaela Knoblock, junior back Maddy McLelland, and sophomore midfielder Catherine Carnevale.

Kean University, under the direction of 20th-year head coach Brian Doherty, was selected to place fourth. Under Doherty, the Cougars have posted an overall record of 182-144-1, including a mark of 11-6-1 in 2017. The 2017 Cougars earned a fourth-place NJAC regular season finish with a 5-4-0 record in league play. Kean returns one all-conference performer from the 2017 season in senior forward Sabrina Pascarella. 

Stockton University, which finished 9-11-2 overall in 2017, was selected to place fifth. The 2017 Ospreys also notched a fifth-place NJAC showing with a 4-5-0 record in conference play. Now in his 16th-year at the helm of the Stockton program, Nick Juengert has guided the Ospreys to an overall mark of 211-98-36. Stockton returns a pair of all-conference 2017 players in senior goalkeeper Nicole Pallante, and the 2017 NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year in sophomore back Dasey DiElmo.

William Paterson University, which earned a berth in the 2017 ECAC Tournament en route to a 9-9-1 overall record, was selected to place sixth. Led by 22nd-year head coach Keith Woods, WPU has produced a mark of 205-152-38 under his leadership. William Paterson returns two all-conference players from its 2017 ECAC Tournament squad in junior forward Marisa Adelman and junior midfielder Kristen Bowe.

Rutgers University-Newark, led by fourth-year head coach Ariana Ruela, was picked to finish seventh. Ruela has led the Scarlet Raiders to 25 wins during her tenure in Newark, including an overall record of 9-10-1 in 2017. The Scarlet Raiders return a pair of all-league performers from a 2017 squad which earned an NJAC Tournament berth following a sixth-place regular season finish, including senior midfielder Juliana Ceballos and junior back Iné Collins.

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Rutgers University-Camden was selected to place eighth. Second-year head coach Steve Weaver guided the Scarlet Raptors to a 7-9-0 overall record during his rookie season of 2017. Rutgers-Camden returns a pair of all-conference players from 2017 in senior midfielder Melissa Peel, and the 2017 NJAC Co-Rookie of the Year in sophomore forward Meghan Wachira.

Ramapo College, which finished 4-12-0 overall in 2017, was selected to place ninth. Seventh-year head coach Abby Shiffler has guided the Roadrunners to 36 match victories during her tenure in Mahwah. Ramapo returns one 2017 all-conference player in junior goalkeeper Elizabeth Harvell.

New Jersey City University, under the leadership of third-year head coach Anthony Tuesta, was selected to place 10th. Tuesta has guided the Gothic Knights to 12 match victories during his first two seasons, including an overall record of 5-11-0 in 2017. NJCU returns one all-conference player from its 2017 squad in junior midfielder Mallensey Vargas.

The 25th season of NJAC women’s soccer will kick off on Friday, August 31 with eight league teams in non-conference action. The first conference matches of the season will take place just 16 days later on Saturday, September 16.

The top six regular season finishers will advance to the NJAC Championship Tournament which will begin with first round action on Saturday, October 27. The NJAC Tournament semifinals will be conducted on Wednesday, October 31, and the league championship match will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed on Saturday, November 3. The winner of the NJAC Tournament receives the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.

2018 NJAC Women's Soccer
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. The College of New Jersey (7)
2. Rowan (3)
3. Montclair State
4. Kean
5. Stockton
6. William Paterson
7. Rutgers-Newark
8. Rutgers-Camden (dark horse)
9. Ramapo
10. New Jersey City
(first place votes in parenthesis)