PITMAN--After capturing the 2010 NJAC championship before advancing to the championship game of the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, Kean University was selected as the 2011 preseason baseball favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Cougars, who finished their 2010 campaign with an overall record of 39-12, will be seeking their fourth conference crown since the inception of the NJAC baseball championship in 1958.

 
Kean was selected to finish first on eight-of-the-ten ballots cast by the league’s head coaches. Under the direction of head coach Neil Ioviero, the Cougars have posted an overall record of 398-159-2 during his 13 seasons in Union. Kean finished second in the 2010 NJAC regular season race with a 13-5 conference mark, but went 4-0 in NJAC Tournament play to secure the 2010 league crown.

The Cougars return a pair of all-conference players from their 2010 NJAC Championship squad including the reigning NJAC Player of the Year in senior outfielder Nick Nolan. Kean also returns all-league performers in senior outfielder Ken Gregory, and the 2009 NJAC Pitcher of the Year in senior right-hander Joe Bartlinski.

 
The 2010 NJAC regular season champion Rowan University Profs were selected to place second and received two first place votes. In 2010, Rowan won the regular season crown with a league-best 14-4 NJAC record while finishing 26-16-1 overall en route to an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Now in his second stint at Rowan, 2010 NJAC Coach of the Year Juan Ranero has guided the Profs to a 246-153-3 overall record in 10 seasons in Glassboro, improving his career collegiate coaching record to 355-253-4. Rowan returns four all-league performers from its 2010 NCAA Tournament squad including senior outfielder Matt Citro, senior left-handed pitcher Michael Cox, senior outfielder Scott Weaver, and the 2010 NJAC Pitcher of the Year in senior right-hander Jeff White.      

Montclair State University, which finished its 2010 campaign with a 23-19 overall record and a 9-9 mark in conference, was selected to finish third. Currently the longest tenured baseball coach in the league, Red Hawks’ skipper Norm Schoenig has produced a 660-358-10 overall record during 23 seasons at the helm of the MSU program. Montclair returns four all-conference players from its 2010 squad including junior catcher Kevin Bond, senior outfielder Michael Boggi, junior left-handed pitcher Sean Hille, and junior outfielder Mickey McGraw. The College of New Jersey, which captured the NJAC title in 2009, was selected to place fourth. The Lions finished the 2010 season with a 23-19 overall record, placing fourth in the regular season race with an 11-7 mark. TCNJ head coach Dean Glus has guided the Lions to a record of 80-49-1 in his three seasons at the helm of the program. TCNJ returns three all-league performers from their 2010 squad including senior right-handed pitcher Connor Henderson, junior catcher Mike Galeotafiore, and junior first baseman James Ruzich.       

Rutgers-Newark, led by 10th-year head coach Mark Rizzi, was selected to place fifth. In 2010, the Scarlet Raiders placed third in the NJAC regular season race with an 11-7 record, ultimately finishing 22-21 overall while earning a berth in the ECAC Metro Tournament. Under the direction of Rizzi, Rutgers-Newark has posted a record of 162-177-4. The Scarlet Raiders return three all-league performers from its 2010 ECAC squad including senior shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer, senior left-handed pitcher Billy Cerruti, and senior second baseman Matt Connors.
 
Richard Stockton College, which captured the championship of the 2010 ECAC Metro Tournament, was selected to place sixth. The Ospreys finished the 2010 season with a 22-19 overall record, placing fifth in the NJAC race with a 9-9 league mark. Ninth-year head coach Marty Kavanagh has guided Stockton to a 140-145-3 overall record during his tenure in Pomona. Kavanagh’s squad returns the 2010 NJAC Rookie of the Year in sophomore outfielder Barry Larro.          

William Paterson University, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Mike Lauterhahn, was selected to place seventh. The 2010 Pioneers finished 16-21-1 overall, while posting a 6-12 record in conference play. In three seasons at the helm of his alma mater, Lauterhahn has guided WPU to an overall record of 63-57-1. The Pioneers return one all-conference performer from their 2010 squad in junior outfielder Jack Montanile.

Ramapo College, which earned a selection to the 2010 ECAC Metro Tournament en route to finishing 20-18 overall in 2010, was selected to place eighth. Roadrunners’ head coach Rich Martin has accumulated an overall career head coaching mark of 463-386-1, including a record of 219-177-1 during 10 seasons in Mahwah. The Roadrunners return a pair of all-league performers from a squad that finished 7-11 in league play, including junior first baseman Dan Moreno and junior outfielder Daniel Mauriello. 

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Rutgers University-Camden  was selected to place ninth. The Scarlet Raptors finished 21-19 overall in 2010, placing seventh in the league with an 8-10 NJAC record before earning a bid to the ECAC Metro Tournament. Led by fourth-year head coach John Wink, the Scarlet Raptors have produced a 40-71 overall record.

New Jersey City University, under the direction of second-year head coach Jonathan Thomas, was tapped to place 10th. The Gothic Knights finished the 2010 campaign with a 13-24 overall record, placing 10th in the NJAC race with a 2-16 league mark.

The 54th-season of NJAC baseball will get underway on Friday, February 18 when Rutgers-Camden travels to face Eastern University in Hampden-Sydney, VA.

             
NJAC conference play begins on Thursday, April 2. The 2011 league schedule will feature a new innovative format that includes 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 2011 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 3. Second round games will also be hosted by higher seeds on Thursday, May 5. All remaining teams will then travel to the site of the highest remaining seed for the conclusion of tournament play on Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8. The winner of the NJAC Tournament receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.