PITMAN—Ramapo College senor forward Joseph Fala and his junior teammate Joshua Schaffer have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Year respectively for the 2019 season. In total, 49 student-athletes garnered all-conference recognition in NJAC men’s soccer in 2019. All selections were determined by a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches and were based on conference-only statistics.
Fala earned NJAC Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season after leading the league in conference-only points (20), conference-only goals (9), and conference-only game-winning goals (4). A five-time NJAC Offensive Player of the Week honoree this season, Fala also finished conference play ranked second in both conference-only points per game (2.22) and conference-only goals per game (1.00).
A two-time NJAC all-conference honoree, Schaffer finished the NJAC season tied for first in conference shutouts (3). A Week 9 NJAC Defensive Player of the Week selection, Schaffer also finished second in both conference-only goals against average (1.06) and conference-only save percentage (.811).
Montclair State University sophomore Michael Knapp was selected as the Pat Baldiserra Midfielder of the Year, marking the second major NJAC award of his two-year career after previously being named the 2018 NJAC Rookie of the Year. He finished his sophomore NJAC season ranked tied for 15th in conference-only goals (2), and tied for 20th in conference-only points (4).
Rutgers University-Camden senior back Darnell Brown and Ramapo College senior back Justin Charkowski were named NJAC Co-Defensive Players of the Year. A three-time NJAC all-conference honoree, Brown anchored a Scarlet Raptors defense which finished tied for third in NJAC play in both team goals allowed (11) and team goals against average (1.15). A four-time NJAC all-conference selection, Charkowski anchored NJAC regular season champion Ramapo’s defense which finished conference play ranked second in both team goals allowed (10) and team goals against average (1.06).
Ramapo College senior back Ronald Kestelboym was the recipient of the conference’s David Logar Leadership Award. The award is presented annually to the player who best displays the attributes of leadership and courage. Kestelboym helped Ramapo’s defense record three shutouts in conference play.
Montclair State freshman forward Oscar Sanchez was selected as the NJAC Rookie of the Year, marking the second straight season that a Red Hawk has garnered the top first-year player honor. A two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection, Sanchez finished his first NJAC season ranked third in conference-only points (13), and tied for third in both conference-only goals (6) and conference-only game-winning goals (2).
Ramapo head coach DJ Pinton was tapped as the NJAC Coach of the Year by his peers. So far in 2019, he has guided the Roadrunners to an 11-1-5 overall record and the program’s first NJAC regular season championship with a league-best 6-1-2 mark in conference play. Now in his 16th year at the helm of the Ramapo program, Pinton has guided the Roadrunners to an overall record of 160-104-35.