PITMAN, NJ --- Rowan University senior Joshua Cason (Sicklerville, NJ/Camden County VoTech) and The College of New Jersey freshman Phil Pace (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Runner of the Year and Rookie of the Year, respectively, for the 2024 season.
Additionally, Rowan head coach Dustin Dimit and assistant Eric DuBois earn Coaching Staff of the Year honors based on a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Cason’s individual title highlights the 14-member NJAC men’s cross country all-conference team. All honors were determined based on placing at the championship meet, which was conducted at TCNJ’s Green Lane Fields on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Cason led the Profs to their third consecutive NJAC title, finishing the 8K course in 25:11. He is the 27th Prof runner in program history to win the conference individual title and second in the last three years, joining 2022 champion Justin Kelly. Cason was a two-time NJAC Runner of the Week this season.
Pace brings the Rookie of the Year award back to TCNJ for the second straight year after Brandon Chen was the top rookie finisher last season. He finished 17th overall in his first collegiate conference championship, clocking in at 26:22. Pace was one of three different Lions to earn weekly awards this year, capturing Rookie of the Week twice.
Rowan head coach Dustin Dimit and assistant Eric DuBois were named the NJAC Men’s Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year based on a vote of the league’s head coaches. They mentored the 2024 Profs to their third consecutive NJAC title and 26th in program history, with six athletes earning all-conference honors. The Profs scored 25 points at the championship meet, bettering the field by 30 points.
2024 NJAC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Joshua Cason, Rowan
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Phil Pace, TCNJ
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Rowan (Dustin Dimit, Eric DuBois)
| FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE |
|
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Joshua Cason~ |
Rowan |
SR |
Sicklerville, NJ/Camden County VoTech |
| Erik Ackerman~+ |
Stockton |
SR |
Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central |
| Brandon Chen~ |
TCNJ |
SO |
Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central |
| Scott Hubbard~ |
Rowan |
JR |
Mantua, NJ/Audubon |
| Colin Patterson |
Rowan |
SO |
Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights |
| Jacob Dinerman |
Rutgers-Camden |
SO |
Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township |
| Miles Voenell |
Rowan |
GR |
Santa Cruz, CA/Pacific Collegiate |
| |
|
|
|
| SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE |
|
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Caleb Clevenger |
Rowan |
SR |
Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial |
| Matthew Conway^ |
Rowan |
SR |
Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township |
| Roman Fabbricatore |
TCNJ |
SR |
Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy |
| Ryan Pena |
Ramapo |
JR |
Hackensack, NJ/Hackensack |
| Adam Abushanab |
Rutgers-Newark |
SR |
Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic |
| Kevin Matthews^ |
TCNJ |
JR |
Flanders, NJ/Pope John XXIII |
| Michael Rodriguez^ |
TCNJ |
SR |
Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township |
KEY:
~ - First Team All-Conference 2023
^ - Second Team All-Conference 2023
* - First Team All-Conference 2022
+ - Second Team All-Conference 2022
% - First Team All-Conference 2021
# - Second Team All-Conference 2021