PITMAN--After claiming the first ever New Jersey Athletic Conference women’s lacrosse championship in 2009, The College of New Jersey has been selected as the preseason favorite in the NJAC in 2010. The Lions, who finished 16-3 overall in 2009 while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, have garnered 11 national championships in program history.

A league championship in women’s lacrosse was established for the first time in 2009 by the New Jersey Athletic Conference Board of Athletic Administrators based on the fact that five league institutions sponsored the sport on the varsity level. In 2010, the conference will add a sixth women’s lacrosse playing member in Rutgers University-Camden. The newly established championship in women’s lacrosse in 2009 was the first new championship added in the NJAC since the league established both women’s and men’s indoor track & field championships back in 1998.

In 2010, Kean University, Montclair State University, and Ramapo College will continue to hold dual memberships for women’s lacrosse in both the New Jersey Athletic Conference and the Skyline Conference. The winner of the Skyline Conference receives an automatic bid (Pool A berth) to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. The College of New Jersey, Rowan University, and Rutgers University-Camden will compete for NCAA Tournament berths in Pool B, which is comprised of independent institutions and teams which compete in conferences such as the NJAC which do not receive automatic NCAA Tournament qualifications. With only six women’s lacrosse playing members, the New Jersey Athletic Conference will not receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament due to the fact that seven institutional playing members are required for a conference to be granted automatic qualification.

Led by 24th-year head coach Sharon Pfluger, the Lions were selected to finish first on five-of-the-six ballots cast by the league head coaches. Under the 2009 NJAC Coach of the Year, TCNJ has garnered 11 NCAA National Championships, five National runner-up finishes, and four third-pace national finishes.  A 2007 United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee, Pfluger has led the Lions to an overall record of 351-31-1 during her tenure in Ewing. TCNJ returns a trio of all-conference performers from its NJAC championship squad, including the NJAC Attack Player of the Year in junior Alison Jaeger, the NJAC Goaltender of the Year in junior Mary Waller, and the reigning NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore midfielder Kathleen Notos.

Rowan University, which earned a Pool B berth to the 2009 NCAA Tournament after finishing second in the inaugural season of NJAC women’s lacrosse, was selected to finish second and received one first place vote. Under the leadership of third-year head coach Lindsay Delaney, the Profs have produced an overall record of 21-14, including a mark of 8-9 in 2009. Rowan returns one all-conference player from its 2009 NJAC runner-up squad in senior defender Kaitlyn Molzon.

Montclair State University, which placed third in the first ever season of NJAC women’s lacrosse, was selected to finish third again in 2010. The 2009 Red Hawks posted an overall record of 8-10, while fifth-year head coach Nicol Parcelluzzi’s career coaching record stands at 46-24. MSU returns a trio of all-conference performers in junior defender Kristin Quigley, sophomore midfielder Cora Delfini, and junior midfielder Kayla Henderson.

Kean University, which will be led by new head coach Leslie LaFronz, was selected to place fourth and was tapped as the coaches’ dark horse selection. LaFronz inherits a squad which posted a 6-11 overall record in 2009. The Cougars return a pair of all-conference players in junior forward Amanda South and senior defender Chelsea Davis.

 
Ramapo College, which completed just its second varsity season in 2009, was selected to place fifth. The Roadrunners finished their first season with a mark of 4-10 overall under rookie head coach Concetta Valerio. Ramapo returns a trio of all-league performers from its 2009 squad including sophomore forward Christina Cigolini, junior midfielder Jenna Pfarr, and senior goaltender Megan Tierney.

The newest of the NJAC program, Rutgers University-Camden will compete for the first time on the varsity level in 2010. The Scarlet Raptors will be led by head coach Nancy O’Neill, who earned All-American honors as a defender during her playing days at TCNJ (then Trenton State College).

The NJAC once again will not sponsor a conference tournament in women’s lacrosse in 2010, meaning that the league championship will be awarded to the team which finishes with the best record in regular season conference play.