PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference has announced its baseball weekly award winners for the week ending Feb. 15.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
JUSTIN TEIXEIRA • Kean University
Senior • Right Field • Springfield, NJ/Jonathan Dayton
Teixeira claimed the first NJAC Player of the Week honor of the 2026 season after leading #4 Kean to a 2-1 opening week, hitting .600 (6-for-10) with six RBI, two runs scored, and a double. He went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI in a 16-6 victory over Moravian before adding a 2-for-5 performance with two RBI in a 6-5 win against Drew. Teixeira finished the week with a .700 slugging percentage and .636 on-base percentage while providing consistent offensive production for the Cougars in their season-opening series.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
NOAH RIVERA • Kean University
Senior • Relief Pitcher • Hamilton, NJ/Steinert
Rivera has been selected as the first NJAC Pitcher of the Week of the 2026 season following a dominant week out of the bullpen for #4 Kean, tossing 3.1 scoreless innings across two appearances while striking out five batters and allowing just two hits. He picked up the win in relief against Drew, holding the Rangers scoreless over 2.0 innings with four strikeouts. Rivera followed that performance with another scoreless outing of 1.1 innings against Alvernia, finishing the week with a .200 opponents' batting average.
ROOKIE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
JT DERISO • William Paterson University
Freshman • Pitcher • River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley
DeRiso earned the first NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week recognition of the 2026 season after making an impressive collegiate debut on February 15, striking out six batters over 2.2 innings of relief in a season-opening road loss to Stevens. The freshman right-hander allowed just one hit and one earned run while limiting opponents to a .125 batting average.