PITMAN, NJ --- Rowan University junior forward Olivia Giordano (Millville, NJ/Millville) and The College of New Jersey senior defender Ava Curtis (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, for the 2024 season.
 
Additionally, TCNJ senior Victoria D’Imperio (Bordentown, NJ/Northern Burlington) was tabbed NJAC Midfielder of the Year; Montclair State freshman Salange Bell (Montclair, NJ/Montclair Kimberley Academy) is the Goalkeeper of the Year; Kean University freshman Ella Petrosh (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Holy Spirit) is the Rookie of the Year; and TCNJ head coach Danny Blank and his staff were tabbed the Joe Russo Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
In total, 42 student-athletes earned all-conference recognition for the fall 2024 season. All-conference and major award selections were determined by a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches and were based on conference-only performances.
 
Giordano, a three-time all-conference selection, led the NJAC in conference-only points (21) and goals (10) to average an impressive 2.33 points per game. Additionally, Giordano led the NJAC with four game-winning goals. She posted three multiple-goal games in conference play, with a hat trick in a 3-0 win over NJCU and two apiece in wins over William Paterson and Kean. Giordano was a Week 6 NJAC Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Now a back-to-back NJAC Midfielder of the Year and three-time all-conference pick, D’Imperio finished second in the NJAC in both conference-only points (20) and goals (9) to average 2.22 points per game. She led a dominant TCNJ offense that outscored conference opponents 28-3. The two-time NJAC Offensive Player of the Week scored at least one goal in seven of the nine conference matches including a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Rutgers-Camden.
 
Curtis, now a four-time all-conference selection, played a critical role in TCNJ’s defensive unit, which allowed only three goals and achieved six shutouts against conference opponents. The senior back also helped limit opponents to a total of 43 shots across the nine conference games, holding opponents to an average of just 4.8 shots per game. Curtis was a Week 1 NJAC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Bell ranked among the NJAC’s top goalkeepers in her rookie season, posting the NJAC’s third-lowest goals against average (.568) and second-highest save percentage (.875). She stopped 35 shots across the nine conference matches and recorded six clean sheets to tie for the conference lead. Bell was a two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week this season.
 
Petrosh led all Kean players in scoring as a rookie, scoring four goals in conference play and six overall. Her four goals in NJAC play ranked her among the top 10 scorers in the conference. She put together her first career multi-goal game with both of Kean’s goals in a 2-2 draw with Rutgers-Camden. She added goals against TCNJ and Rutgers-Newark. Petrosh was a Week 2 NJAC Rookie of the Week.
 
TCNJ head coach Danny Blank and assistants Fran Schmutz and Morgan Basileo were voted the Joe Russo Coaching Staff of the Year by the league’s head coaches. They guided the Lions to a perfect 9-0 mark in NJAC action and are currently 15-0-2 on the season with 11 shutouts. They mentored seven all-conference honorees including major award winners D’Imperio and Curtis.
 

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FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Aileen Cahill~*%!	Montclair State	GR	F	Little Egg Harbor, NJ/Pinelands Regional
Mackenzie Clement&	Rowan	SR	F	Mantua, NJ/Clearview Regional
Olivia Giordano~*	Rowan	JR	F	Millville, NJ/Millville
Kylie Prendergast~*	Montclair State	JR	F	Livingston, NJ/Livingston
Victoria D’Imperio~*	TCNJ	SR	M	Bordentown, NJ/Northern Burlington
Emily Hauck&+$	Stockton	SR	M	Lebanon, PA/Northern Lebanon
Lianna SanFelice~^	Rowan	JR	M	Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway Regional
Sara Wiedeman	Rowan	SO	M	Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township
Julie Baker	Montclair State	JR	D	Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick
Ava Curtis~^%	TCNJ	SR	D	Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough
Emmi DeNovellis~*#	Montclair State	SR	D	Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge
Julianna Giordano~^	Rowan	JR	D	Millville, NJ/Millville
Salange Bell	Montclair State	FR	G	Montclair, NJ/Montclair Kimberley Academy
SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Alyssa Alfano	TCNJ	SO	F	East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park
Leila Ettayebi~+$	Rutgers-Newark	SR	F	Clifton, NJ/Clifton
Ella Petrosh	Kean	FR	F	Egg Harbor City, NJ/Holy Spirit
Logan Shaw	Stockton	JR	F	Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley
Rylee Getter	Stockton	5th	M	Galloway, NJ/Absegami
Allie O’Keefe&	TCNJ	SR	M	Red Bank, NJ/Middletown North
Emily Owens	Rutgers-Camden	SR	M	Audubon, NJ/Audubon
Emily Schuler	Montclair State	JR	M	Staten Island, NY/Tottenville
Rachel Burkhard&	TCNJ	SR	D	Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson
Sophia Drea&^#	Stockton	SR	D	Medford, NJ/Shawnee
Julia Masucci	Kean	SR	D	Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood
Gianna Patitucci<	Rutgers-Camden	JR	D	Millville, NJ/Our Lady of Mercy Academy
Sophia Mannino~	NJCU	JR	G	Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township
HONORABLE MENTION
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Sonya Brewer <	Kean	SR	F	Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan
Julia Fiorito&*#	William Paterson	GR	F	Toms River, NJ/Toms River North
Brianne Reeves	Rutgers-Camden	SO	F	Marlton, NJ/Cherokee
Kylee Reissek	Stockton	SO	F	Newfield, NJ/Delsea Regional
Nyrohah Alvarenga&+	NJCU	JR	M	North Bergen, NJ/High Tech
Morgan Korinchak	Ramapo	FR	M	Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial
Gineth Arias Martinez	NJCU	JR	M	Soacha Cundinamarca, Colombia/Institución Educativa Leon XII
Abby Najdzinowicz	TCNJ	JR	M	Tinton Falls, NJ/Red Bank Catholic
Manon Bada	Rowan	SR	D	Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township
Erin Clark&+	William Paterson	JR	D	Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley
Emily Dustman	Ramapo	SR	D	Sicklerville, NJ/Hammonton
Amy Maurer<+	Rutgers-Camden	SR	D	New Providence, NJ/New Providence
Hailey Nelson	William Paterson	SR	D	Elmer, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick
Seoane Oaxaca<+	Rutgers-Newark	JR	D	Passaic, NJ/Academy for Science & Engineering
Rachel Robichaud	TCNJ	SR	D	Woolwich Twp., NJ/Kingsway Regional
Calista Burke&*	Rowan	SR	G	Westmont, NJ/Haddon Township

 
KEY:
~ - First Team All-Conference 2023
& - Second Team All-Conference 2023
< - Honorable Mention 2023
* - First Team All-Conference 2022
^ - Second Team All-Conference 2022
+ - Honorable Mention 2022
% - First Team All-Conference 2021
# - Second Team All-Conference 2021
$ - Honorable Mention 2021
! - Second Team All-Conference 2020-21