PITMAN --- Defending NJAC Champion Rowan has been tabbed as the preseason favorite to repeat this year in a poll of the league’s 10 head coaches. The Profs garnered seven of the 10 first place votes. Kean, which finished in a regular season tie with Rowan last year, picked up three first place votes and is predicted second this season.
TCNJ was predicted at the third spot, followed by Ramapo and Stockton in the top five. William Paterson, this year’s dark horse team, looks to be in playoff contention with the Pioneers predicted sixth. Montclair State, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, and NJCU round out the preseason polling.
The 2023 campaign gets underway on Saturday, Feb. 25, when Kean, Rutgers-Camden, and Stockton open their seasons.
The 2023 NJAC Softball Tournament is slated for May 6-13. First and second round games will take place on May 6 and May 9 at campus sites. The tournament will then shift to the highest remaining seed for Friday and Saturday, May 12-13.
2023 NJAC Softball Preseason Poll (first place votes in parentheses)
- Rowan (7)
- Kean (3)
- TCNJ
- Ramapo
- Stockton
- William Paterson (dark horse)
- Montclair State
- Rutgers-Camden
- Rutgers-Newark
- NJCU
Rowan
The defending champion Profs are ranked No. 24 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) preseason poll after coming off of a 35-10 season and trip to the NCAA regional championship game. Although the Profs lost two-time NJAC Pitcher of the Year Emily August to graduation, Rylee Lutz will step up to that top spot. Lutz was second in the NJAC only to August last year with a 1.85 overall ERA and was named NJAC Second Team. The Profs bring back several All-Conference players, including leading returning hitter McKenzie Melvin along with Korie Hague and Payton MacNair. Melvin led the NJAC in runs scored last year (48) and was third in the conference with 57 hits.
Newcomers to Watch: Emily McCutcheon (LHP; Audubon HS), Marina Costello (RHP; TCNJ), Abby Pawlowski (SS; St. Peter’s), Kate Evick (C; Sussex Central HS (DE))
Kean
Kean enters 2023 looking for another trip to the NCAA Tournament, coming off a run to the NCAA regional championship game. The Cougars finished in a first place tie with Rowan in last year’s regular season standings and also posted a 32-10 overall record. Power hitter Eliza Filus, the reigning NJAC Rookie of the Year, returns to lead the Kean offense. The First Team second base player led the NJAC last season in slugging percentage (.682) and RBI (50), and was tied for the NJAC lead with 60 hits. First Team pitcher Heather Clevenger returns to the circle. Clevenger led all NJAC pitchers with a scant 0.67 conference-only ERA last year and was third with a 1.93 overall ERA. Karly Messina, an all-conference utility player, provides another solid bat after posting a .310 average in 2022.
Newcomers to Watch: Briana Sciuli (OF; Kingsway Regional HS), Sydney Hixenbaugh (P/UT; Howard University), Abby Burns (P; Souderton HS (PA))
TCNJ
The Lions return a solid core of players who earned All-Conference last year and won 28 games. Ally Schlee, an NJAC First Team pitcher, will once again lead the Lions’ pitching staff after going 13-1 last year with a 2.25 overall ERA, which jumped to 1.60 in conference play. Julia Roessler will provide an extra spark in the circle after going 3-1 in NJAC play with a conference-only 2.41 ERA. The Lions’ bats are strong, with the NJAC’s leading hitter last year hailing from Ewing. Jaclyn Carifi posted the NJAC’s highest batting average last year (.481) and she was seventh in the league with a .596 slugging percentage. Joining her are First Team outfielder Kaci Neveling and First Team catcher Julia Mayernik. Neveling ranked in the top 10 in the conference in both batting average (.425) and runs scored (37). Mayernik posted a .318 average last year with 12 doubles and three home runs.
Newcomers to Watch: Liz Gosse (P; Southern Regional HS), Camryn Kitchins (1B; Cherry Hill West), Morgan Estelow (OF; Burlington Twp. HS), Gianna Vazquez (UT; South Brunswick HS), Ashley O’Hagan (OF; Bergen Tech HS), Sophia Payne (IF; Passaic Valley HS)
Ramapo
Ramapo returns a solid group that finished third in last year’s NJAC standings and posted 25 wins overall. NJAC First Team third base player Katie Rygiel returns for her sophomore season as does classmate and Second Team pitcher Marissa DiPaolo. Junior Mahogany Wheeler, a First Team honoree last year, is also back on the field. Ramapo posted the conference’s second-highest team batting average last year, with Rygiel leading the way with a .435 clip. Wheeler is a two-way threat, batting .343 while also going 10-6 overall in the circle with a 2.80 ERA. DiPaolo ranked first in the NJAC last season by holding opposing bats to just a .192 average against her and she sported a 1.97 ERA to rank fourth in the conference.
Newcomers to Watch: Hannah Hensler (UT; Point Pleasant Beach HS), Avery Kontura (IF; Steinert HS)
Stockton
The Ospreys posted 24 wins last year and clinched a spot in the NJAC Tournament. They return several top players from that squad including all-conference honorees Michaela Luyber, Charli Czaczkowski, and Lilly James. Luyber, the NJAC’s First Team first base player, batted .313 last year and posted a stellar .984 fielding percentage. Czaczkowski brings a solid bat, hitting .331 last season and earning Second Team honors. James, a Second Team shortstop in 2021, batted .329 last year and was 9-for-9 in stolen bases.
Newcomers to Watch: Jenna Crampton (P; East Stroudsburg University), Maggie Formichelli (OF; Bensalem HS (PA)), Madison Manera (C; Clayton HS)
William Paterson
This year’s dark horse squad to watch, the Pioneers look to improve on last year’s 6-12 conference record and be in the hunt for a playoff spot. The team features a solid group of seniors, including leading returning hitter Anna Nunziato who posted a .376 average last year with a team-leading 35 hits and 13 extra-base hits. Fifth-year senior Caitlin Monahan also returns after posting a solid .349 with nine doubles and a home run. Carly McDaniel led the Pioneers with 13 stolen bases last year and provides a solid bat as she averaged just shy of .300. In the circle, all-conference honoree Jaelynn Miller ranked fourth in the NJAC with 113 strikeouts last season.
Newcomers to Watch: Jasmine Vera (2B/OF; Drew University)
Montclair State
Montclair State looks to stay in the playoff hunt in 2023 after getting in at the six seed last season and a total of 23 wins. Alyssa Borozan, who has been one of the top Red Hawks over the last few years, returns to lead once again. Borozan ranked tied for first in the NJAC last year with 60 hits, and was second in runs scored (45), sixth in slugging percentage (.605), and seventh in overall batting average (.408). Ali Cavallaro returns to lead the Red Hawk pitching staff after ranking second in the NJAC last year with 132 strikeouts.
Newcomers to Watch: Nicole Lusnia (P; Freehold Twp. HS), Liz Mullen (P/OF; South Brunswick HS), Madison Boen (C/OF; East Brunswick HS)
Rutgers-Camden
Rutgers-Camden looks to move up in the conference standings this year. Though the Scarlet Raptors lost All-Conference player and top Raptor hitter Kimmy Musarra to graduation, they return a strong core group. Zoe Rodriguez is the leading returning hitter after posting a .326 average last year. Olivia Bull is fast on the basepath, leading the returning players with eight stolen bases in 2022. Luci Hutchinson is also among the leading returning hitters with a .236 clip last year. Lindsey Rodzon returns to the circle after pitching in 25 games last year and leading the Raptors in ERA and strikeouts.
Newcomers to Watch: Ava Maloof (OF; Bishop Feehan (MA)), Bella Lynch (IF; Eastern Regional HS)
Rutgers-Newark
The Scarlet Raiders are eager for 2023 with a solid core of returners and a large incoming class. They are led by NJAC All-Conference outfielder Michelle McMillan, who ranked among the top 10 in the conference with a .400 batting average last year. Megan Tomaselli also returns with a solid bat, going just under .300 last year with 32 hits including seven doubles. Rutgers-Newark will look for a pitcher to emerge as the go-to, as the Scarlet Raiders do not have any returning pitchers from last season after All-Conference hurler Jackie Lara graduated.
Newcomers to Watch: Josephine Morales (IF; Northern Valley Old Tappan), Alison Miller (IF; Newburgh Free Academy), Keelin O’Brien (UT; South Brunswick), Gabriela Forese (C; High Technology HS)
NJCU
NJCU returns a solid group from last year’s squad looking to make a splash this year. The Gothic Knights are led by Sidnie Dabbadie and Samantha Miller, who are do-it-all players who both pitch and have strong bats. Dabbadie tossed 10 complete games with two shutouts last year and picked up five wins. She also ranked fifth in the NJAC with 103 strikeouts. Miller picked up four wins in the circle with nine complete games and a shutout. The majority of the Gothic Knights’ top hitters are back, including Mariah Villanueva, Mya Villanueva, Emily Tunney, and Abby Castro.
Newcomers to Watch: Jaelyn Barrios (1B; Lincoln University), Natalie Rosales (OF; Union City HS)