PITMAN--Montclair State University sophomore Heather Gearity has been selected as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Thomas M. Gerrity Most Outstanding Athlete for the 2012 season. Her selection highlighted the 52-member NJAC women’s outdoor track & field all-conference team which was announced on May 9. All NJAC special awards were determined by a vote of the league’s nine head coaches. The league’s all-conference honors were based on performances at the 2012 NJAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships which were conducted at Richard Stockton College on May 5.
A three-time NJAC Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week selection, Gearity was named the conference’s Top Female Athlete one year after being named the NJAC Women’s Outdoor Rookie of the Year in 2011. She claimed the NJAC crown in the 400 intermediate hurdles by placing first in a field of 14 competitors with a conference-record time of 1:01.45. She also was a member of the Red Hawks’ NJAC Champion 4x400 meter relay which placed first in a field of seven teams with an ECAC qualifying time of 3:55.57. Gearity also placed third in the 100 meter hurdles with an ECAC qualifying time of 14.98, in addition to placing seventh in the high jump (1.48 meters).
Ramapo College junior Anita Rogers was selected as the NJAC Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year one year after claiming the NJAC’s Gerrity Award in 2011. Individually, Rogers claimed the conference crown in the 100 meters by beating a field of 16 runners in the 100 meters with an ECAC qualifying time of 12.34. A four-time NJAC weekly award recipient, she also was a member of the Roadrunners’ NJAC Champion 4x100 meter relay which posted an ECAC qualifying time of 47.95. Rogers also captured the league title in the triple jump (11.78 meters), in addition to placing third in the 200 meters (25.79).
Ramapo College junior Michelle Favre was named the NJAC Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year after claiming the NJAC Championship in the pole vault. A two-time NJAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week selection, Favre defeated a field of 14 competitors with a conference-record mark of 4.00 meters.
Rowan University freshman Melirah Searcy was selected as the NJAC Women’s Outdoor Rookie of the Year. A three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection, Searcy earned the NJAC title in the 400 meters by placing first in a field of 16 competitors with a Rowan school-record time of 57.59. She also placed second in the 400 meter hurdles with an ECAC qualifying time of 1:04.54. Searcy also competed as a member of the Profs’ 4x400 meter relay which finished second with an ECAC qualifying time of 3:57.07.
Rowan University head coach Derick “Ringo” Adamson was selected as the NJAC Women’s Outdoor Coach of the Year by his peers. Adamson guided the Profs to a first place finish in the 2012 NJAC Outdoor Championships, earning Rowan just its second NJAC women’s outdoor team title in program history, and its first since 1992.
2012 NJAC WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM