PITMAN, NJ --- Kean University senior setter Aspen O'Brien (McHenry, IL/McHenry Community) has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year to headline the 2025 all-conference team.
 
Additionally, William Paterson University sophomore libero Bella Demers (Maumee, OH/Maumee) and Kean University junior middle hitter Cayley Elena Morrison (Elizabeth, NJ/Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy) share Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors; Rowan University freshman outside hitter Jessica Smart (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) is the Rookie of the Year; and Rowan head coach Deana Jespersen and her staff were tabbed the NJAC's Joy Solomen Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
In total, 24 student-athletes earned all-conference recognition for the fall 2025 season. All-conference and major award selections were determined by a vote of the league's coaches and are based on conference-only performances.
 
O'Brien orchestrated one of the NJAC's most potent offenses this season, leading the conference in assists per set (11.08) while directing Kean to the regular season title and top seed in the NJAC Tournament. The senior setter totaled 288 assists in conference play and added 56 digs (2.15/set), 13 service aces and 26 kills. She also contributed 13 service aces against NJAC opponents (0.50/set) to rank in the top 10 in the conference. A Week 4 NJAC Player of the Week, O’Brien earns First Team All-Conference honors for the first time after twice receiving Second Team recognition in 2023 and 2024.
 
Demers anchored the William Paterson back row with a conference-best 4.50 digs per set, recording 126 digs in conference action. The sophomore from Maumee, OH, consistently kept rallies alive and provided stability on serve receive throughout the season to lead the Pioneers into the postseason. She scooped double-figure digs in all but one conference match, and all but three matches overall. Demers was a four-time NJAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree in her first season as a Pioneer.
 
Morrison proved to be a dominant force on both sides of the ball for Kean. The junior middle hitter from Elizabeth led the conference in hitting percentage (.392) and blocks per set (1.19), totaling 31 blocks including 13 solo blocks against NJAC opponents. She also ranked fourth in conference-only points per set (4.54) and fifth in kills per set (3.69). Morrison was twice named NJAC Player of the Week and twice named Defensive Player of the Week. She is now a three-time First Team All-Conference selection (2023, 2024, 2025).
 
Smart made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, earning First Team All-Conference honors. The freshman outside hitter from Manahawkin led Rowan's offense averaging 3.79 kills per set and posted a .327 hitting percentage in conference play to rank fourth and fifth, respectively, among all NJAC players. She also ranked seventh in conference-only points per set (3.85). Her immediate contributions as a freshman helped Rowan finish 7-1 in NJAC play and secure the No. 2 seed in the NJAC Championship. Smart was a two-time NJAC Player of the Week in her first season.
 
Rowan has been voted the Joy Solomen Coaching Staff of the Year, with head coach Deana Jespersen receiving the posthumous honor. Jespersen sadly passed away on November 2nd after a courageous battle with cancer. This marks the fifth time that Jespersen received the honor, which is shared by the entire staff including assistants Matt Verlinghieri, Gaelen Fitzgerald, Julia Worth and Emma Gosbin, and student assistant Kyra Hissner. Jespersen was in the midst of her 12th season at Rowan and had the Profs positioned as one of the top teams in the region. The Profs wrapped up the regular season with a 7-1 conference record to secure the No. 2 seed in the 2025 NJAC Championship. Jespersen’s overall coaching career spanned 21 seasons with over 300 victories, including two NJAC Championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances. She coached 30 All-Conference players and three All-Americans - the first three in program history.
 

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FIRST TEAM
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Kate Louer*$+	Stockton	SR	OH	Clifton, NJ/Clifton
Cayley Elena Morrison%+	Kean	JR	MH	Elizabeth, NJ/Thomas Jefferson Arts Academy
Camryn Muuss+	Montclair State	SO	OH	Parker, CO/Legend
Aspen O’Brien$^	Kean	SR	S	McHenry, IL/McHenry Community
Nicole Palmer%+	Stockton	JR	OPP	Islip Terrace, NY/East Islip
Jessica Smart	Rowan	FR	OH	Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional
Ashley Torok	Kean	FR	OH	Woodbridge, NJ/Woodbridge
SECOND TEAM
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Asya Akar	Ramapo	FR	OH	Lyndhurst, NJ/Lyndhurst
Raven Albrecht	Rowan	FR	S	King of Prussia, PA/Upper Merion
Bryn Bautista	Montclair State	SO	OH	Sewell, NJ/Washington Township
Abby Chadwick	Rowan	JR	OPP	Brentwood, TN/Ravenwood
Bella Demers	William Paterson	SO	L	Maumee, OH/Maumee
Kai Fitzpatrick	NJCU	JR	OH	Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough
Cecilia Miller%+	William Paterson	JR	OH	Virginia Beach, VA/First Colonial
HONORABLE MENTION
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Aubre Adams	Kean	SR	MH	Chugiak, AK/Chugiak
Lucy Cornelius	Montclair State	FR	S	Snohomish, WA/Glacier Peak
Madeline Dohogne	Kean	SR	L	Hartland, WI/Arrowhead
Kristian Glenn	William Paterson	JR	OPP	Weston, FL/Cypress Bay
Abby Houpt&^	William Paterson	JR	S	Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley
Vanessa Hutchinson&~	Rowan	SR	L	King of Prussia, PA/Upper Merion
Jena Kaul%^	Rowan	SR	OH	Metuchen, NJ/Metuchen
Regan Mendick	Stockton	SR	S	Newark, DE/Red Lion Christian
Mia Owens	Rutgers-Camden	JR	L	Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown
Rileigh Wilson$	Stockton	SR	OPP	Milton, DE/Cape Henlopen

 
KEY:
+ - First Team All-Conference 2024
^ - Second Team All-Conference 2024
~ - Honorable Mention 2024
% - First Team All-Conference 2023
$ - Second Team All-Conference 2023
& - Honorable Mention 2023
* - First Team All-Conference 2022