PITMAN, NJ --- Rowan University senior Gabriella Pagano (Blairstown, NJ/Pope John XXIII) has been named the NJAC Runner of the Year while The College of New Jersey freshman Teagan Walker (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) earned Rookie of the Year status.
Additionally, Rowan head coach Shedrick Elliott III and assistants Eric DuBois, Shelby Whetstone, and Jassina Surles earn Coaching Staff of the Year honors based on a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Pagano and Walker highlight the 14-member NJAC women’s cross country all-conference team. All honors were determined based on placing at the championship meet, which was conducted at Stockton University on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Pagano dominated the conference championship race, winning the title in 21:56 on the 6K course to earn NJAC Runner of the Year honors. The Blairstown native led Rowan to the team championship with a commanding performance, finishing 25 seconds ahead of the field. Pagano’s victory capped a stellar career that includes First Team All-Conference honors in 2024, Second Team recognition in 2022, and now her crowning achievement as conference champion and Runner of the Year.
Walker earned NJAC Rookie of the Year recognition with an impressive seventh-place finish at the conference championship, clocking 23:20. The Ewing native helped lead TCNJ to a runner-up finish with her strong performance, just 35 seconds off the winning time. Walker is a three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week this season.
The Rowan coaching staff of Shedrick Elliott III, Eric DuBois, Shelby Whetstone, and Jassina Surles earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors after guiding the Profs to the conference championship with 41 points. The staff mentored five all-conference runners, including Runner of the Year Pagano, two total First Team honorees, and three Second Team runners.
NJAC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ALL-CONFERENCE
RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Gabriella Pagano, Rowan
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Teagan Walker, TCNJ
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR
Rowan
(Shedrick Elliott III, Eric DuBois, Shelby Whetstone, Jassina Surles)
| FIRST TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Gabriella Pagano+^ |
Rowan |
SR |
Blairstown, NJ/Pope John XXIII |
| Dale Leonard~^ |
Ramapo |
JR |
Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central |
| Naesha Gadie~ |
TCNJ |
JR |
Trenton, NJ/Hamilton West |
| Shannon Stakelbeck |
Rowan |
JR |
Toms River, NJ/Toms River East |
| Abigail Churchill |
Montclair State |
SR |
Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills |
| Kayla Kass~*% |
Stockton |
SR |
Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne |
| Teagan Walker |
TCNJ |
FR |
Ewing, NJ/Ewing |
|
|
|
|
| SECOND TEAM |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown/High School |
| Ella Daly |
TCNJ |
SO |
Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville |
| Madelyn Valasek& |
Stockton |
SR |
Medford, NJ/Shawnee |
| Jezena Aponte |
Rowan |
JR |
Jersey City, NJ/Henry Snyder |
| Rachel Hayes+% |
Stockton |
SR |
Marlboro, NJ/St. John Vianney |
| Juliana Sieminski |
Rowan |
FR |
Elk Township, NJ/Delsea Regional |
| Ava Biemuller |
TCNJ |
SO |
Howell, NJ/Freehold Township |
| Allyson Wernik^ |
Rowan |
JR |
Sewell, NJ/Washington Township |
KEY:
^ - First Team All-Conference 2024
% - Second Team All-Conference 2024
~ - First Team All-Conference 2023
& - Second Team All-Conference 2023
* - First Team All-Conference 2022
+ - Second Team All-Conference 2022