PITMAN, NJ --- Montclair State University senior first baseman Sam Angelo (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference’s Bill Dioguardi Player of the Year for the 2023 season, and Kean University fifth-year player Collin Kiernan (Verona, NJ/Verona) picked up NJAC Pitcher of the Year honors. 

Additionally, Ramapo College junior Will Paoli (Flanders, NJ/Mount Olive) earned the Fireman of the Year honor, which is awarded to the conference’s top relief pitcher. Stockton University freshman Kevin Novobilsky (Ocean Township, NJ/Ocean Township) picked up Rookie of the Year honors. 

Their selections highlighted the 36-member 2023 NJAC Baseball All-Conference Team which was announced May  4. All selections were made via a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches and were based on conference-only statistics.

Angelo put together an outstanding year for Montclair State, as the Red Hawks went 25-9 overall and 12-6 in NJAC regular season play. He led the conference in multiple categories, including conference-only batting average (.515), conference-only slugging percentage (.985), conference-only on-base percentage (.617), and conference-only home runs (7). He also ranked among the top 10 in total hits (T4th; 35), RBI (5th; 27), runs scored (5th; 26), and doubles (7th; 9).

Kiernan went 4-1 in NJAC action on the mound for Kean, with wins over William Paterson, Rutgers-Newark, TCNJ, and Rowan. He led the NJAC in conference wins (4) and innings pitched (44.0). His ERA of 2.66 in conference action was third among NJAC pitchers, and he ranked fourth in conference-only strikeouts (30) and sixth in conference-only opposing batting average (.225).

Paoli earns the top relief pitcher award after leading all NJAC relievers with six saves in conference action. He earned a 3.1-inning save over Montclair State and hurled 2.0 hitless innings in his save against Rowan. Paoli put together a scant 0.82 ERA, allowing just one earned run over 11.0 innings pitched. He struck out 14 and yielded just four hits. 

Novobilsky, a four-time NJAC Rookie of the Week and this year’s First Team All-Conference shortstop, led all conference freshmen in conference-only batting average (.403), conference-only slugging percentage (.636), conference-only runs scored (21), conference-only hits (31), and conference-only home runs (4). In addition to leading all rookies, he ranked in the top 10 among all NJAC players in those statistical categories as well. 

Rowan University head coach Mike Dickson was voted the Jeff Albies Coach of the Year by his peers. He guided Rowan to a 28-11 overall record, 13-5 NJAC record, and the NJAC regular season title. He had seven players named to this year’s all-conference team, including three on the First Team. In his ninth season at the helm of the Profs’ program, Dickson has amassed a 241-101 record.