PITMAN, NJ --- The College of New Jersey junior forward Rayhanah Ahmed (Bound Brook, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan/VoTech) and Rowan University junior Julia Cavicchio (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Field Hockey Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year to headline the 2023 all-conference team.
 
Additionally, TCNJ junior Claire Engebreth (Furlong, PA/Central Bucks West) and Kean senior Jorja Hibschman (Millville, NJ/Millville) was tabbed NJAC Co-Midfielders of the Year; Kean fifth-year senior Jenna Flemings (Tabernacle, NJ/Seneca) is the Goaltender of the Year for the third straight year; TCNJ freshman back Taylor Wielechowski (Charlotte, NC/Covenant Day School) is the Rookie of the Year; and Stockton head coach Sarah Elleman and her staff were tabbed the NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
In total, 24 student-athletes earned all-conference recognition for the fall 2023 season. All-conference and major award selections were determined by a vote of the league’s six head coaches and took into account both regular season overall and conference-only performances.
 
Ahmed, now a three-time NJAC All-Conference selection, put together an impressive junior season for the Lions. A two-time Offensive Player of the Week this year, she totaled 32 points on 11 goals and 10 assists in the regular season to rank third in the conference in overall points. She stepped up even more in conferene play, ranking tied for first in conference-only goals (5), tied for first in conference-only game-winning goals (2), and was second in both conference-only points (14) and conference-only assists (4).
 
Engebreth, a two-time NJAC Defensive Player of the Week this season, started all 17 games for the Lions and was a force on both ends of the field. She was TCNJ’s second-leading scorer, only behind Ahmed, with 16 points on five goals and six assists. Her six assists ranked her tied for sixth among all NJAC players. The junior mid was also a main component on both offensive and defensive corners.
 
Hibschman was also a strong two-way player in the midfield for Kean this season. She tallied 14 points on six goals and two assists, including the game-winning goal in a key 1-0 win over Stockton. On the other end of the field, she recorded a defensive save and helped the Cougar defense rank first among all NJAC teams with a team goals against average of just 1.07.
 
Cavicchio, now a two-time NJAC All-Conference honoree, anchored the Rowan back line that pitched three regular season shutouts this season. She was also a dangerous offensive weapon, racking up 18 points on six goals and six assists. She came out of the back field to lead all NJAC players in conference-only points (15) and assists (5) and tie for first in conference-only goals (5).
 
Flemings is no stranger to the Goaltender of the Year award, earning her third consecutive major honor. A two-time NJAC Defensive Player of the Week this season, Flemings led all NJAC goalies in overall goals against average (1.18), save percentage (.830), and shutouts (6). She was also the leading goalie in conference-only goals against average (1.00) and conference-only shutouts (3).
 
Wielechowski had an impressive first season for the Lions, helping anchor the defense as she started all 17 games as a rookie. She earned NJAC Rookie of the Week honors twice and helped the back line to three shutouts. She also recorded one defensive save.
 
Elleman and assistants Elizabeth Law and Candice Steinhauer earned NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year honors after leading Stockton to a breakout 15-5 record this year. The Ospreys finished tied for second in the NJAC with a 3-2 conference record, and their squad defeated TCNJ for just the second time in program history. They coached the Ospreys to five shutouts and five of their players earned all-conference accolades.
 
 

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FIRST TEAM
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Rayhanah Ahmed*^	TCNJ	JR	F	Bound Brook, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan/VoTech
Kirsten Bailey	Stockton	SO	F	Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township
Vanessa DiDonato	Rowan	JR	F	Burlington, NJ/Burlington City
Peyton Mann*~	Kean	5th	F	Nazareth, PA/Nazareth Area
Allie Palumbo*^	Stockton	JR	F	Mantua, NJ/Clearview Regional
Carlie Van Tassel*^~	Montclair State	SR	F	Vernon, NJ/Vernon
Claire Engebreth	TCNJ	JR	M	Furlong, PA/Central Bucks West
Jorja Hibschman	Kean	SR	M	Millville, NJ/Millville
Gab Maisto+	Montclair State	JR	M	Fairfield, NJ/West Essex
Laura Stump	Kean	5th	M	Winslow, NJ/Winslow Township
Carlee Thompson	Stockton	SO	M	Gibbsboro, NJ/Eastern Regional
Julia Cavicchio*	Rowan	JR	B	Medford, NJ/Shawnee
Tess Herman	Rowan	SO	B	Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional
Morgan Stump*~	Kean	5th	B	Winslow, NJ/Winslow Township
Taylor Wielechowski	TCNJ	FR	B	Charlotte, NC/Covenant Day School
Jenna Flemings*^	Kean	5th	G	Tabernacle, NJ/Seneca
HONORABLE MENTION
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Bella DiNardo	TCNJ	JR	M	Hopewell, NJ/Hopewell Valley
Kaylee Wenzel	Rowan	SO	M	Monroeville, NJ/Woodstown
Carly Amerman	Montclair State	SR	B	Bangor, PA/Bangor Area
Kylie Compton+	Montclair State	JR	B	Hackettstown, NJ/Warren Hills Regional
Kaelin Drey	Stockton	FR	B	Boyertown, PA/Boyertown Area
Emily Dvorsky	TCNJ	SO	B	Washington Twp., NJ/Warren Hills Regional
Hannah Ayari-Dias	Stockton	FR	G	North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex
Michelle Kukan	Ramapo	JR	G	Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson

 

KEY:
* - First Team All-Conference 2022
+ - Honorable Mention 2022
^ - First Team All-Conference 2021
~ - First Team All-Conference 2020-21