PITMAN, NJ --- Kean University junior forward
Ja’Carra Jackson (Magnolia, DE/Dover) and Stockton University senior back
Casey Cordonna (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Field Hockey Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year respectively for the 2020-21 season. In total, 23 student-athletes garnered all-conference recognition in NJAC field hockey during the spring season. All selections were made by a vote of the conference’s head coaches.
Additionally, Kean senior
Lia DiPiazza (Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey) was named NJAC Midfielder of the Year and sophomore teammate
Belly Reynoso (Manalapan, NJ/Freehold Boro) is the NJAC Goaltender of the Year. Montclair State forward
Carlie Van Tassel (Vernon, NJ/Vernon) has been named NJAC Rookie of the Year.
Jackson earned her first career all-conference honor after leading Kean to a 5-0 record this spring. She scored two goals and assisted on two others for a total of six points to rank third in the NJAC. She had a hand in two goals in the Cougars’ season-opening win over Montclair State and then scored the game winner in a 2-1 triumph over Stockton. Jackson is up to 32 points on eight goals and 16 assists in her three seasons in Union.
Cordonna has been key in the Stockton back field for four years. The two-time NJAC All-Conference First Team pick and 2019 NFHCA All-Region honoree posted three defensive saves in just five games this season. She swept two in the season opener against Kean and another in the second meeting with the Cougars. Cordonna also scored one goal to help lift the Ospreys past William Paterson in the regular season meeting. In her four years in Galloway, Cordonna started 62 of her 63 career games, scored 13 goals including five game winners, registered three assists, and made four defensive stops.
DiPiazza finished the spring season as the conference’s leading scorer with seven points on three goals and one assist. She tallied the game winner in the season-opening 4-2 win over Montclair State and also converted a penalty stroke in the season finale 3-1 win over William Paterson. She was a leader on a Kean team that went a perfect 5-0 in the regular season. In her career, she has started 68 of 71 career games, and racked up 35 points on 14 goals and seven assists.
Reynoso put together another strong season in the cage for the Cougars. She posted three shutouts in five games this season and allowed just two goals for a 0.45 goals against average. She sported a .833 save percentage. She was the 2019 NJAC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-Region last season, and is now 24-4 with eight career shutouts in her two years so far at Kean.
Van Tassel quickly made an impact at Montclair State. Although limited to just three games this spring, she scored two goals and assisted on another for five total points which ranked tied for fourth among all conference players. She was efficient as well, recording a .500 shot percentage. Van Tassel converted her first career penalty stroke attempt in a 2-1 win over Stockton.
William Paterson University’s
Lindsay Balfour was selected as the NJAC Coach of the Year by her peers for the second time in her tenure in Wayne. Her squad finished 3-2 overall and captured the 2020-21 NJAC title. In the semifinal, she coached the Pioneers to a double-overtime 1-0 shutout on the road at second-seeded Stockton and then a 2-1 win over Ramapo in the final. Two of her players – Abigail Viola and Kourtney Scipio – earned NFHCA national weekly honors this season, and four earned NJAC First Team accolades.
2020-21 NEW JERSEY ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
ALL-CONFERENCE FIELD HOCKEY TEAM |
|
| OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ja’Carra Jackson, Kean |
| MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR: Lia DiPiazza, Kean |
| DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Casey Cordonna, Stockton |
| GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR: Belly Reynoso, Kean |
| ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Carlie Van Tassel, Montclair State |
| COACH OF THE YEAR: Lindsay Balfour, William Paterson |
|
| FIRST TEAM |
|
|
|
|
| Name |
Year |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown/High School |
| Victoria Docherty |
SO |
F |
Ramapo |
Newton, NJ/Newton |
| Ja’Carra Jackson |
JR |
F |
Kean |
Magnolia, DE/Dover |
| Peyton Mann |
SO |
F |
Kean |
Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area |
| Gianna Morganti |
JR |
F |
Stockton |
Berlin, NJ/St. Joseph’s |
| Carlie Van Tassel |
FR |
F |
Montclair State |
Vernon, NJ/Vernon |
| Abigail Viola |
JR |
F |
William Paterson |
Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Township |
| Elizabeth Cimilluca*^ |
SR |
M |
Montclair State |
Fairfield, NJ/West Essex |
| Lia DiPiazza |
SR |
M |
Kean |
Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey |
| Lauryn Flynn |
SR |
M |
Stockton |
Warren Grove, NJ/Southern Regional |
| Megan Hoopes+ |
JR |
M |
William Paterson |
Westmont, NJ/Haddon Township |
| Casey Cordonna* |
SR |
B |
Stockton |
Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights |
| Kristin Freas-Papa+^ |
SR |
B |
William Paterson |
Westville, NJ/Gateway Regional |
| Janell Harden+ |
SR |
B |
Montclair State |
Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge |
| Kourtney Scipio |
FR |
B |
William Paterson |
South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield |
| Morgan Stump |
SO |
B |
Kean |
Winslow, NJ/Winslow Township |
| Belly Reynoso* |
SO |
G |
Kean |
Manalapan, NJ/Freehold Boro |
| |
| HONORABLE MENTION |
| Name |
Year |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown/High School |
| Mariah Tovar |
JR |
F |
Ramapo |
Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley |
| Madison Dancisin |
SR |
M |
Stockton |
Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional |
| Maggie Farrell |
SO |
M |
Ramapo |
Millington, NJ/Watchung Hills |
| Krista O’Grady |
FR |
B |
Kean |
Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area |
| Emily Ricciardi |
SO |
B |
Ramapo |
Jefferson, NJ/Jefferson |
| Lauren Pickul |
SO |
G |
Montclair State |
Audubon, NJ/Moorestown |
| Samantha Stolker |
SR |
G |
Ramapo |
Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel |
Key:
* - First Team All-Conference 2019
+ - Honorable Mention 2019
^ - Honorable Mention 2018
|