PITMAN, NJ --- Kean University sophomore Naomee Miller (Apollo, PA/Kiski Area) has been selected as the NJAC’s Swimmer of the Year to highlight the 2022-23 NJAC Women’s Swimming & Diving All-Conference Team. Additionally, The College of New Jersey senior Gabi Valladares (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) was named Diver of the Year; Rowan University freshman Ella Pennington (Elkton, MD/Elkton) was named Rookie of the Year; and Kean head coach Chris Swenson was voted as the Coach of the Year by his peers.

All-Conference honors were determined by finish among NJAC athletes at the Metropolitan Conference Championships and major awards were voted on by the league’s 10 head coaches.

Miller splashed on to the scene for Kean, which won its first NJAC title in program history. She qualified for the NCAA Championship in both the 200 yard individual medley and 200 yard breaststroke, claiming Second Team All-America honors in the 200 breaststroke. Her time (2:18.13) in the 200 yard breaststroke ranked as the 18th-fastest in NCAA Division III for the 2022-23 season. She also posted a top-35 time in the 100 yard breaststroke this season (1:04.19). Miller earned First Team All-Conference honors in three events and won the Met Conference title in the 400 individual medley. She accounted for 24 points - including 22 of those in individual events - in Kean’s 150-112 triumph over TCNJ that clinched the Cougars’ their first-ever program title and sealed a perfect 5-0 NJAC dual meet record.

Valladares is named Diver of the Year for the third straight year. The senior posted the highest 3-meter 6-dive score in NCAA Division III this season with 564.30 points, which also leads the NJAC by nearly 300 points. She also posted the second-highest 11-dive point total in Division III on the 1-meter board with 548.63 points and her 3-meter 11-dive season best ranks third in D3 this season. Valladares also posted the NJAC’s top 1-meter 6-dive score of 280.65 points. Valladares is an eight-time NJAC Diver of the Week and owns two Lion program records.

Pennington put together a spectacular rookie campaign, qualifying for the NCAA Championship in both the 100 and 200 yard backstroke and garnering Second Team All-America honors in the 200 back. Pennington earned three All-Conference First Team nods and was the Met Champion in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke events and top NJAC finisher in the 200 yard individual medley. She turned in top-50 national times in those three events as well. Her season-best 200 yard backstroke time of 2:02.00 was ranked No. 22 in NCAA Division III this season; her 100 yard backstroke time of 56.40 ranked as the 31st-fastest; and her 200 IM best of 2:05.97 was 45th in the nation. Pennington earned NJAC Rookie of the Week accolades six times.

Swenson is named the NJAC Coach of the Year as his Cougar squad rolled through the NJAC dual meet schedule with a flawless 5-0 record and through the season with a perfect 11-0 dual meet record overall. Swenson’s group earned the first NJAC title in program history in just the fifth full season since the Kean program was brought back. His team earned 12 conference weekly honors this year and the squad improved from 399 points at Mets a year ago to take home sixth place with 854 points. He also coached the program’s first-ever All-American in Naomee Miller. 
 

2022-23 NJAC Women's Swimming & Diving All-Conference Team

Swimmer of the Year: Naomee Miller, Kean
Diver of the Year: Gabi Valladares, TCNJ
Rookie of the Year: Ella Pennington, Rowan
Coach of the Year: Chris Swenson, Kean