NEW ORLEANS – Rowan University senior Gabriella Pagano has been named the NCAA Division III Metro Region Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
 
Pagano capped a dominant fall campaign with a 45th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships in Spartanburg, SC, on November 22, clocking a time of 22:06. in the 6K race.
 
The NJAC Runner of the Year qualified for nationals with a third-place finish at the NCAA Division III Metro Region Championships on November 15, where she posted a time of 21:14. Her all-region performance was one of several championship-level efforts throughout the season.
 
Pagano captured individual titles at the Osprey Open (22:26) on September 20 and the Salisbury University Fall Classic (21:25) on August 30. She claimed conference gold at the NJAC Cross Country Championships on November 1, winning in 21:56.
 
Pagano also recorded top-ten finishes at competitive invitational fields, placing seventh at the Interregional Border Battle (21:43) on October 18 and eighth at the Paul Short Run (21:14) on October 3.