FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 14, 2012

Contact: Terry Small, NJAC Commissioner (856) 582-3679 or (609) 221-1342

KEAN SELECTED AS NJAC FAVORITE IN PRESEASON POLL OF LEAGUE HEAD COACHES Pitman, NJ—After capturing the 2011 NJAC championship and advancing to its fourth NCAA Division III Na- tional Championship Series in the past five years, Kean University was selected as the 2012 preseason baseball favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Cougars, who finished their 2011 campaign with an overall record of 42-11, will be seeking third consecutive NJAC title and their fifth conference crown since the inception of the NJAC baseball championship back in 1958.

Kean was selected to finish first on all 10 of the ballots cast by the league head coaches. Under the direction of head coach Neil Ioviero, the Cougars have posted an overall record of 440-170-2 during his 14 seasons, including a mark of 202-52 and a 2012 NJAC COACHES PRESEASON POLL RESULTS league record of 71-19 over the past five years. Kean won the NJAC (first-place votes in parenthesis) regular season race with a 14-4 record in 2011 and also claimed the NJAC crown and the league’s automatic NCAA bid with four consecu- 1. Kean (10) tive NJAC Tournament victories on its home field. After suffering a loss 2. Rowan in its opening NCAA Tournament game, Kean proceeded to record six 3. Montclair State consecutive NCAA Tournament victories in a four-day span to claim 4. Ramapo 5. The College of New Jersey its fourth NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship in the past five 6. Rutgers-Newark seasons. 7. William Paterson 8. Richard Stockton (dark horse) The Cougars return a pair of all-conference hurlers from their 2011 9. Rutgers-Camden NJAC Championship squad, including junior right-hander Kevin Herget, 10. New Jersey City and the reigning NJAC Pitcher of the Year in senior righty Mike Russo.

After earning an at-large selection to the 2011 NCAA Tournament, Rowan University was selected to place second by the league coaches. In 2011, the NJAC runner-up Profs finished 31-13-1 overall and placed second in the NJAC regular season race with a 14-4 conference mark. Now in his second stint at Rowan, 2010 and 2011 NJAC Coach of the Year Juan Ranero has guided the Profs to a 277-166-4 overall record in 11 seasons in Glassboro, improving his career collegiate coaching record to 386-266-5. Rowan returns four all-league performers from its 2011 NCAA Tournament squad, including senior catcher Nick Turano, senior Marc Magliaro, junior C.J. Szymczak, and junior left-handed pitcher Curtis Arsi.

Montclair State University, which finished its 2011 campaign with a 21-18 overall record and a 10-8 mark in conference, was selected to finish third. Currently the longest tenured baseball coach in the league, Red Hawk skipper Norm Schoenig has produced a 681-376-10 overall record during 24 seasons at the helm of the MSU program. Montclair returns a pair of all-conference players from its 2011 squad, including senior catcher Kevin Bond and senior left-handed pitcher Sean Hille. continued.... NJAC Preseason Baseball Coaches Poll Release Continued..... Ramapo College, which placed fourth in the 2011 NJAC regular season race, was again picked to place fourth in 2012. The 2011 Roadrunners finished 30-14 overall and 11-7 in the NJAC, earning an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament. Roadrunners’ head coach Rich Martin has accumulated an overall career head coach- ing mark of 493-400-1, including a record of 249-191-1 during 11 seasons in Mahwah. The Roadrunners return four all-league performers from their 2011 NCAA squad, including junior Christian Spurr, senior infielder Kevin Knox, junior right-handed pitcher Travis Zilg, and senior Dan Moreno.

The College of New Jersey, which finished 25-12 overall in 2011, was selected to place fifth. The 2011 Lions placed fourth in the NJAC regular season race after posting a mark of 11-7 in conference competition. TCNJ head coach Dean Glus has guided the Lions to a record of 105-61-1 in his four seasons at the helm of the program. TCNJ returns four all-league performers from its 2011 squad, including junior outfielder Michael Murphy, junior Scott Kelly, junior third baseman Nick Cifelli, and senior catcher Mike Galeotafiore.

Rutgers-Newark, led by 11th-year head coach Mark Rizzi, was selected to place sixth. In 2011, the Scar- let Raiders placed third in the NJAC with an 11-7 record, ultimately finishing 23-19 overall while earning a share of the ECAC Metro Tournament Championship with Richard Stockton when rain forced cancel- lation of the ECAC title game. Under the direction of Rizzi, Rutgers-Newark has posted a record of 195- 213-4, including a mark of 22-14 in conference play over the past two seasons. The Scarlet Raiders return three all-league performers from its 2011 ECAC Co-Champion squad, including senior designat- ed hitter Mike Ciaramello, senior first baseman Chris Ballester, and senior third baseman Tim Miller.

William Paterson University, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Mike Lauterhahn, was selected to place seventh. The 2011 Pioneers finished 20-17-1 overall while posting an 8-10 record in conference play. In four seasons at the helm of his alma mater, Lauterhahn has guided WPU to an overall record of 83-74-2. The Pioneers return one all-conference performer from their 2011 squad in senior outfielder Rob Somers.

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Richard Stockton College was selected to place eighth. The Ospreys finished the 2011 season with a 21-17 overall record including a berth in the ECAC Metro Tournament where they were declared ECAC Co-Champions along with Rutgers-Newark following the title game cancellation. Tenth-year head coach Marty Kavanagh has guided Stockton to a 161-162-3 overall record during his tenure in Pomona. Kavanagh’s squad returns the 2011 NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore third baseman Travis Marra.

Rutgers University-Camden, led by fifth-year head coach John Wink, was selected to place ninth. The Scarlet Raptors finished 12-24 overall in 2011.

New Jersey City University, under the direction of new first-year head coach Jerry Smith, was tapped to place 10th. Smith inherits a Gothic Knights squad that finished 10-28 overall in 2011.

The 55th season of NJAC baseball will get underway on Friday, February 17 when Rutgers-Newark travels to Myrtle Beach, SC to face Neumann in the first non-conference game of the year.

NJAC conference play begins on Saturday, March 31 with all 10 conference teams in doubleheader action. The 2012 league schedule will again feature a format with no byes, meaning all 10 league teams will play single games every Thursday and Friday and doubleheaders every Saturday during the conference season. The schedule also features teams facing the same opponent on Thursday and Friday at alternating sites.

The top six conference regular season finishers will advance to the double-elimination 2012 NJAC Championship Tournament which will feature all tournament games played at campus sites. First round games will be hosted by higher seeds on Tuesday, May 1. Second round games will also be hosted by higher seeds on Thursday, May 3. All remaining teams will then travel to the site of the highest remaining seed for the conclusion of tournament play on Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6. The winner of the 2012 NJAC Tournament receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.