THE SPORT REPORT NJCU Welcomes Winning Coaches

BY IRA THOR

Joseph Cullen he Athletics Department As an MSU student, Cullen played welcomed three new fall for the Red Hawks, earning one of sport coaches to NJCU the finest men’s soccer careers in the family this past summer. university’s history. Teaming with his Joseph Cullen was named brother, Michael, he catapulted the Red Thead coach of men’s soccer, Anthony Hawks to four consecutive New Jersey Tuesta was selected head coach of Athletic Conference championships women’s soccer, and Reggie James, Jr. in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and joined the staff as head coach of men’s four straight NCAA Tournament and women’s cross country and club appearances. In the four seasons with indoor/outdoor . Cullen in the lineup, Montclair earned Cullen wasted little time in turning an incredible combined 77-7-4 (.898) the Gothic Knights’ fortunes around. and boasted a near-perfect mark of The men’s soccer team, which won 32-3-1 (.903) in the conference. (Two of one game in each of its previous two those three losses came against NJCU, seasons, kicked off 2016 with a 7-0-0 by the way!) Reggie James, Jr. record in its first month of play— As a senior co-captain in 2009, he breaking the 1966 record of 6-0-0 and became the 24th All-America recipient earning the best start to a season in in Montclair history, garnering NSCAA the 58-year history of the program. III Second-Team honors. A The team also logged three consecutive three-time All-Region Selection by the shutouts to start the season—another National Soccer Coaches Association school record. of America, he was First-Team All- Cullen brings a wealth of experience NSCAA South Atlantic and First-Team and demonstrated skill to the Knights; All-ECAC in 2009. He also earned he previously served as an assistant First-Team All-Region distinction in coach at Montclair State (2010-13) and 2008 and Second-Team in 2007. Moravian (2014-15). The Red Hawks Tuesta was originally hired part-time reached the NCAA Tournament every last winter, but his instant rapport with season during his tenure at Montclair, the players and his marked skills on the advancing to the second round in 2010 field, compelled NJCU to nab as much before surging to the NCAA national of his talent as it could. Tuesta was Anthony Tuesta semifinals in 2011. As a kind of encore, moved up to full-time over the summer MSU reached the Elite 8 in in 2012 and to become the first full-time head 2013—marking the program’s third women’s soccer coach in NJCU’s history. consecutive appearance in the national Having previously served as the quarterfinals. assistant men’s soccer coach for the

18 • NJCU Magazine • Winter 2017 Gothic Knights for 2013 and 2014, Tuesta played two seasons at Mercer and a Collegiate Track Conference (CTC) Tuesta returned to NJCU after one County Community College, leading the Relay Crown. Prior to Holy Family, James season as the assistant men’s soccer Vikings to back-to-back National Junior served two years (2012-14) as assistant coach at Division I NJIT. College Athletic Association (NJCAA) cross country and track and field coach An experienced club coach and finals in 2002 and 2003. at Montclair State, coaching five Red trainer, Tuesta has sharpened his James joined the NJCU coaching Hawks to All-America honors and considerable skills working with New staff in August, taking the reins of multiple school records. Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA) the men’s and women’s cross country Most recently, James coached the NJCU of Holmdel as a head coach and with program. He’s also charged with the task 2015-16 season at Wayne Hills High Parsippany (N.J.) Soccer Club. of relaunching the men’s and women’s School as an assistant, helping guide An alumnus of , indoor and outdoor track and field the team to a Passaic County girls’ Tuesta was a two-time First-Team All- programs, which are currently club championship and coaching one of the NJAC selection in 2006 and 2007. The sports. (Track and field, discontinued top boys 200- and 400-meter indoor outstanding forward was the league’s top after the 2009-10 athletic year, is slated runners in the state.

player in 2006. He claimed 2006 and to be re-elevated as a varsity sport for the James also served as the head coach 2007 NCAA Division III/NSCAA First- 2018-19 season.) of the Pure Acceleration Track Club Team All-Metro Region honors, and, in He comes to NJCU with nearly two in Stanhope, N.J., and has helped 2006, was a D3kicks.com Second-Team decades of experience as a coach and the program claim multiple national All-America choice and Kean’s Player of athlete on the collegiate, high school championships and All-America the Year. and club levels. He served as head cross recognition. From 2006-09 he was an In his two seasons at the NJAC-rival country and track and field coach at assistant with the Willingboro Track school, Tuesta scored 24 goals and 10 Division II Holy Family University in Club, which produced a number of assists, with eight goals proving to be Philadelphia in 2014-15 helping the collegiate champions including future game winners. Prior to arriving at Kean, program achieve multiple school records Olympian, English Gardner.

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Women’s Aces Academics

he NJCU women’s volleyball team was recognized by the season during the fall 2015 semester and a 3.301 in the spring term. American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for its Individually, setter Rachel McIntyre, a sophomore last year Tsuccess in the classroom during the 2015-16 academic majoring in both Criminal Justice and Psychology with a double year, earning the AVCA Team Academic Award for the first time in minor in English and Journalism, registered a perfect 4.00 for both the program’s history. semesters. Outside hitter Elyssa Magee, an incoming senior who To qualify for this nationally recognized honor, an entire men’s or majors in Psychology with a Criminal Justice minor, earned a 4.00 women’s volleyball program has to maintain a minimum of a 3.30 in the spring and a 3.971 for the year. Three other student-athletes cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale; 4.10 on a 5.0 produced GPAs of 3.5 or better. scale) for the recently concluded academic year. NJCU is one of only “I’m extremely proud of the progress we’ve made as a program two schools in the New Jersey Athletic Conference to achieve this both in the classroom and on the court,” said head coach Robert distinction. Cole. “An award like this is earned by every single member of the The 12 women on the 2015-16 Gothic Knights team achieved program. We want to continue to progress both academically and a cumulative grade point average of 3.355, with a 3.413 while in athletically.”

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Feehan Earns MVC

ongtime NJCU Women’s Soccer Assistant Coach app for coaches and teams. Katie Feehan ’07, ’09 M.S. was honored as the Feehan is in her ninth season as an assistant coach with the LTeamSnap Most Valuable Coach on September Gothic Knights, making her the longest-serving active female 7. The on-field ceremony took place at halftime during coach—head or assistant—at NJCU. the National Women’s Soccer League professional match A 2007 graduate of NJCU with Bachelor of Science in between Sky Blue FC and the Orlando Pride in Piscataway, Criminal Justice (pre-law) and a 2009 N.J. Among of the more than 2,000 Master of Science, Feehan was one of fans at the game, a number of the top scholar-athletes to ever play NJCU women’s soccer team for the University in any sport. Off the players were in attendance to field, Feehan has served the residents cheer their coach on. of the state as a New Jersey State “It was a great feeling to be in an Trooper for the past five years. environment promoting women’s Playing NJCU soccer from 2004- soccer with my players in the crowd,” 07, Feehan was a three-time CoSIDA said Feehan. “I hope to continue to Academic All-America recipient— motivate young women to pursue the only NJCU student-athlete to their dreams.” be so honored—and also the first The award, launched in athlete in the history of NJCU to May 2016 is presented to a be named a First-Team Academic nominated coach from the region All-American in any sport in that has demonstrated positive 2007, after earning Third-Team leadership. TeamSnap is the leading Academic All-America distinction communications and organization in 2005 and 2006.

Get Your Gothic Garb!

he NJCU Athletics Department, in partnership with BSN Sports, launched its first online apparel store in TAugust. From hats to hoodies and blankets to bags, Gothic Knight fans of all stripes—students, parents, alumni, and friends can root for their team in style. Check out the offerings at www.njcugothicknights.com/ store. Proceeds from each purchase will go to support NJCU’s athletic teams.

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Ebony Barnes Denay Caldwell

Hall of Famers Honored

JCU announced her four-year career on the seconds in the 2008 NJAC the 400-meter hurdles, in its 2017 inductees track team from 2005-09. Outdoor Championship meet 2004, she was a double All- Nto the University’s She earned First-Team All- still stands. American in the 100-meter Athletic Hall of Fame, and America honors in the indoor Denay Caldwell, the hurdles and 4x100-meter the results are historic. For 55-meter dash in 2007-08 second most decorated relay. It was the first of three the first time ever, all five and 2008-09, and was a women’s track athlete consecutive years Caldwell individual honorees are three-time First-Team All- in NJCU history, was a was a First-Team All- women. Also, for the first American in the outdoor 100- dominant seven-time All- American in the 100-meter time in 36 years—and the meter dash for 2006, 2007, American between the indoor hurdles; her best finish was second time since the Hall and 2008. A multiple New and outdoor seasons from fourth as a senior in 2006. of Fame was established in Jersey Athletic Conference 2003-07. She also helped NJCU place 1979—a team was singled champion, Barnes was named She was an NCAA First- second out of 68 teams at out for praise. This year’s the 2008 NJAC Women’s Team All-American in the the 2005 ECAC Division III selections are Ebony Barnes Outdoor Track and Field indoor 55-meter hurdles— Outdoor Championship and ’09, Denay Caldwell ’07, Eryn Outstanding Female Track twice placing fifth in the 10th at the NCAA Division III Cully-Bohleber ’05, Katie Athlete of the Year and the national finals—but she Championship. Fehan ’07, ’09 M.S., Vicki 2008-09 NJAC Women’s was at her best in several Eryn Cully-Bohleber is Spratford ’08, and the 1963- Indoor Track and Field Most outdoor events, claiming one of the first All-Americans 64 men’s team. Outstanding Female Track five All-America plaques in in NJCU women’s bowling Ebony Barnes was a Athlete. Her 100-meter dash the spring. A 2003 First- history. Her leadership style five-time All-American in conference record of 11.84 Team All-American in and exceptional skill almost

22 • NJCU Magazine • Winter 2017 single-handedly propelled the she proved to be a technical Vicki Spratford is one of only 10 players in Gothic Knights into the 2004 and versatile player. She considered the greatest the history of the sport NCAA bowling final when played every position on the bowler in the history of the named to the NCAA All- NJCU placed third nationally. field during her career— NJCU bowling program. Tournament Team more At the 2004 NCAA even 45 minutes in goal— She was a four-time All- than once. On January 21, Championship, Cully was but was primarily a center American who led NJCU to 2008, Spratford became named to the All-Tournament midfielder. By the time she the 2006 and 2008 NCAA the sixth athlete in school Team after finishing first concluded her career for the National Collegiate Women’s history to appear in the overall in the individual Knights, she owned every Bowling Final Four and “Faces in the Crowd” section standings with a remarkable major career record at NJCU. was voted the 2006-07 of Sports Illustrated. 235.714 average—the second She was the all-time leader and 2007-08 National The 1963-64 men’s highest average in NCAA in points (92), goals (33), Tenpin Coaches Association basketball team was the championship history. A two- assists (26), multiple-goal (NTCA) Division III second Jersey City State time All-Conference selection games (9), game-winning National Player of the Year. team to win a conference in 2002-03 and 2003-04, goals (6), shots (250), shots During her career, NJCU championship. The Gothics Cully, a national NCBCA All- on goal (135), games played amassed an incredible were 20-6 overall (.769) Academic Team selection, (73), games started (73) and record of 303-117-2—a .720 and 9-1 in the conference. was NJCU’s anchor for two minutes played (6,372) at winning percentage—and Coached by Hall of Famer seasons after transferring the conclusion of the 2007 qualified for four NCAA Oliver S. Gelston, the team to the University on a full season. Many of these records Tournaments. She is one of consisted of 14 players, academic scholarship from have since been broken by only three Gothic Knights four of whom are current Briarcliffe College. players she helped recruit ever named to the NCAA’s individual Hall of Famers at Katie Feehan is NJCU’s to the program as Feehan is All-Tournament Team NJCU: Charlie Brown ’65, first women’s soccer Hall of now the assistant coach for in seven championship ’85 M.A., Ben F. O’Neal ’65, Fame inductee. As a student, NJCU women’s soccer. appearances and remains Edwin H. Petersen ’66, and Paul F. Yates ’66. Brown and O’Neal were co-captains of the squad. Brown, O’Neal, and Petersen were each 1,000-point scorers, with Yates narrowly missing the milestone. Other members of the team included Robert Bagley ’68, Paul Calocino ’66, Michael Connolly ’67, George Connors ’66, Robert Elder ’66, Tom Gleason ’66, Katie Feehan Earl Kingwill ’66, Danny Lane ’66, Anthony Mitolo ’65, and Michael Scolamieri ’65. The assistant coach was Pete Muir. The team finished the season ranked No. 3 in the nation in scoring defense at just 58.7 points per game – a school record that lasted for nearly 50 years until a team coached by Brown’s son, Marc Brown, eclipsed it in Eryn Cully Vicki Spratford the 2012-13 season (58.3 per game). NJCU

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