PITMAN, NJ --- Montclair State University graduate 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 and Rowan University senior pitcher Mike Shannon (Bellmawr, NJ/Triton Regional) was named Pitcher of the Year for the 2024 season.
 
Additionally, Stockton University junior Reece Miller (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) earned the Fireman of the Year honor, which is awarded to the conference’s top relief pitcher. Ramapo College freshman Jack Tallent (South Amboy, NJ/The Ranney School) was named Rookie of the Year.
 
Their selections highlighted the 36-member 2024 NJAC Baseball All-Conference Team which was announced May 1. All selections were made via a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches and were based on conference-only statistics.
 
Angelo is now a two-time Player of the Year winner after once again leading the NJAC in multiple categories, including conference-only slugging percentage (.806), conference-only OPS (1.355), conference-only runs scored (25), and conference-only home runs (6). He also tied atop the league in conference-only hits (32) and RBI (23). He also finished the regular season ranked second in conference-only batting average (.444) and third in conference-only on-base percentage (.549). The graduate student safely recorded a hit in all but three NJAC games and had multiple hits in 10.
 
Shannon went 3-2 on the hill for Rowan in conference action with wins over Ramapo, TCNJ, and Rutgers-Newark. In the two losses, he gave up just one earned run each. He led all NJAC starters in conference-only ERA (0.89) and fewest earned runs allowed (4). He held batters to just a .164 average against him which put him second among NJAC pitchers. He also ranked fifth in conference-only strikeouts (32). Shannon hurled two complete games in league play.
 
Miller earns the top relief pitcher award after going 2-0 with four saves in seven appearances in NJAC play. He earned the wins over Rowan and Montclair State while picking up saves in the second game against Rowan along with TCNJ, Rutgers-Camden, and Ramapo. He worked 8.1 innings in relief, striking out eight and allowing just six hits.  
 
Tallent collects the Rookie of the Year honor after leading all NJAC freshmen in both conference-only batting average (.378) and conference-only hits (28). He ranked sixth among all NJAC players in both categories in his first season. Tallent rapped hits in all but two NJAC games with six multi-hit outings. He put together terrific series against Montclair State (6-9), TCNJ (4-8), Stockton (4-9), and Rowan (4-9). He belted six doubles and a triple, drove in seven runs, and nabbed three stolen bases in conference play.
 
Stockton University head coach Rich Gawlak and assistants Steve Bucci, Glenn Wyatt, and Steve Struble were voted the Jeff Albies Coaching Staff of the Year by their peers. They guided the Ospreys to a 22-15 regular season overall record, 12-6 NJAC record, and the first NJAC regular season title in program history. They mentored three all-conference players, including the NJAC’s top relief pitcher in Miller.
 

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