PITMAN--The College of New Jersey’s senior forward Leigh Mitchell and sophomore back Lauren Pigott have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Attack and Defensive Players of the Year respectively for the 2012 season. Their selections highlighted the 20-member 2012 NJAC women’s lacrosse all-conference team which was announced on May 8. All selections were made via a vote of the conference’s six head coaches and were based on conference-only statistics.

A three-time NJAC all-conference selection, Mitchell was previously named the NJAC Midfielder of the Year during the 2011 season. A Week 2 NJAC Offensive Player of the Week honoree, she currently ranks first in the conference in overall assists per game (4.71), while ranking third in the league in points per game (5.65). Against NJAC competition, Mitchell produced league-best totals in both assists per game (5.60), and points per game (6.60).

Pigott earns the league’s top defender honor after being named the NJAC Rookie of the Year during the 2011 season. A four-time NJAC Defensive Player of the Week selection, she averaged a league-best 6.60 draw controls per game against NJAC competition. Pigott also is a key cog in TCNJ’s defense which currently leads the conference in team goals against average (6.24).

The College of New Jersey’s senior Kathleen Notos was named NJAC Midfielder of the Year for the second time in her career, marking the fourth consecutive season that a Lion has garnered the honor. Notos claimed NJAC Midfielder of the Year honors in 2010, after being named the NJAC Rookie of the Year during the 2009 season. A four-time NJAC all-conference selection, she ranked sixth against NJAC competition in goals per game (3.00). A Week 4 NJAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree, Notos also ranked seventh in the league in conference-only points per game (4.00).

Kean University junior net-minder Jules Keeley was tapped as the NJAC Goaltender of the Year. A first-team all-conference selection, she currently ranks second in the NJAC in both overall save percentage (.466), and saves per game (8.59). Against NJAC competition, Keeley ranked second in the league in saves per game (9.80).

Montclair State University freshman forward Tierney Conlon was selected as the NJAC Rookie of the Year. An eight-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection, Conlon earned first-team all-conference honors as a freshman. She currently leads the league in overall points per game (6.06), after finishing the conference season ranked second in assists per game (3.20).

TCNJ’s Sharon Pfluger and Montclair State’s Nicol Parcelluzzi were selected as NJAC Co-Coaches of the Year by their peers.

Pfluger claimed Coach of the Year honors for the third time in the past four seasons after leading the Lions to an overall record of 14-3 and the NJAC championship via a perfect 5-0 league record. In 26 seasons at the helm of the Lions program, Pfluger has produced an overall record of 401-39-1.

Parcelluzzi guided the Red Hawks to a 13-5 overall record and her program’s fifth NCAA Tournament berth. In seven seasons with the Red Hawks, Parcelluzzi has guided MSU to an overall mark of 84-41.

2012 NJAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM