Rowan University
08/29/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/29/2024 13:59
Good sports: Rowan athletes get set for fall competition
Rowan University's fall Athletics teams are poised to continue the success that they have enjoyed in recent years. See below for team-by-team highlights or visit RowanAthletics.com for more information on Prof Athletics, including the 2024-25 schedules.
Rowan enters 2024 ranked as the top team in the Metro Region and will be the favorite to garner a third straight NJAC Championship, and the 26th title in the program's history.
Head coach Dustin Dimit, in his 10th season with three conference titles to his credit, enters 2024 with a deep squad.
Returners Scott Hubbard and Joshua Cason will lead the way as they finished among the top seven spots in last season's NJAC Championship race to earn All-Conference honors. Hubbard and Cason, along with Giancarlo Vega, also earned All-Region accolades as the Profs placed second as a team at the NCAA Metro Region Championship. Among the newcomers who could provide a boost is Miles Voenell, a graduate transfer from Lewis & Clark College.
Rowan begins the season on Aug. 30 at the Stockton Season Opener and then will host its only home meet of the year, the ninth annual Border Battle at DREAM Park in Logan Township, on Oct. 19. The Profs will defend their title at the NJAC Championship on Nov. 2.
The women's cross country team will look to better its third-place finish from last year's NJAC Championship and seeks to continue its ascent in the region.
First-year head women's cross country and track and field coach Shedrick Elliott III relies on a seasoned group. Anna Sasse, Mia Guerra and Ally Wernik were All-Region and All-Conference honorees in 2023. Guerra was the top Prof at the conference championship, taking fourth place overall.
Sasse placed eighth at the NCAA Metro Regional, just missing out on an NCAA Championship appearance while Guerra was 15th and Wernik placed 27th to help Rowan to a fourth-place team finish.
First-year student Zoey Delling is among the newcomers who will look to contribute.
The season starts at the Stockton Opener on Aug. 30 with Rowan hosting the ninth annual Border Battle at DREAM Park in Logan Township on Oct. 19 for its only home meet of the year. The Profs will compete for the NJAC Championship on Nov. 2.
The Profs are the favorite to defend their NJAC Championship and will seek their fourth straight league title. Rowan, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth year in a row in 2023, enters the season ranked 10th in the nation.
Head coach Michelle Andre, now in her 10th year, welcomes back All-Region selections Tess Herman and Kaylee Wenzel in the midfield. Sidney Pavlishin is the leading returning scorer as she had nine goals last year while Aurelia McManis, Paige Yocum and goalkeeper Mariah Juiliano solidify the defense.
The Profs have added an All-American to the roster as Allie Palumbo comes to Rowan after transferring from Stockton University. The senior was one of the NJAC's leading scorers last year with 13 goals and 11 assists and should make an immediate impact for the Profs.
Rowan faces a challenging schedule that includes six teams ranked in the preseason Top 25, starting on Aug. 31 at Ursinus College. The Profs will play their first five games on the road before opening the home portion of the schedule on Sept. 18 against Catholic University of America.
The 2024 season will look a bit different as new head coach and former Prof standout Pat Ruley takes the reigns of Rowan football. He replaces Jay Accorsi, the all-time program leader in victories who retired after a distinguished 22-year career at the helm.
Ruley's team was predicted fourth in the 2024 NJAC Preseason Poll and was selected as the "dark horse" team. Last season, the Profs went 5-5 overall and 4-2 in league play to finish in a three-way tie for second place.
The Profs return quarterback Nate Maiers and defensive lineman Carter Williams, who were selected as the 2023 NJAC Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, respectfully. The sophomores join veterans and first-team All-Conference selections Josh Ortiz (DL) and Eric Bryant (DB), also an All-Region honoree, along with All-League picks Jason Blanks (DB), Kevin Degnan (WR), Vincent Guarino (LB) and John Scibilia (TE).
Rowan kicks off the year at Stevenson University on Sept. 5 and will make its home debut on Sept. 14 when it hosts McDaniel College. The annual Homecoming game Nov. 2 will pit the Profs against conference rival Montclair State University.
The Rowan men's soccer team again will play one of the toughest schedules in the nation, but is led by an experienced group with five returning All-Conference players. The Profs, who were the conference regular-season runner-up in 2023, were picked second in the 2024 NJAC Preseason Poll.
The Profs' offense features two of the NJAC's top scorers and All-Region selections Johnny Troiano (15 goals, five assists) and Davide Caputo (three goals, seven assists). All-Conference selections Ryan Cleary, Turlough Gartlan and Mason Martelloni will shore up the defense, along with goalkeeper Dylan Aportela.
Head coach Scott Baker, in his 10th season, welcomes a talented group of newcomers including Rider University transfer Mo Bocher and first-year student Devin Stone.
Rowan got a head start on its season as it made a training trip to Costa Rica in August. The Profs will open 2024 on the road at Salisbury University on Aug. 30 and will be away from their home turf until Sept. 17 when they host Haverford College.
Rowan women's soccer enters the 2024 season poised to repeat as NJAC regular-season champions and seeks to bring home the conference tournament title. The Profs were chosen first in the 2024 NJAC Preseason Poll while they also received votes in the Top 25 national poll.
Coach Scott Leacott, now in his 26th season, welcomes back four All-Region picks-Calista Burke, Julianna Giordano, Olivia Giordano and Lianna SanFelice-from the squad that went unbeaten (8-0-1) in league play last year. Goalkeeper Burke topped the conference with 10 shutouts as the Profs boasted one of the nation's stingiest defenses, allowing just eight goals in 18 matches.
The Profs will be strong up front as well with the return of last year's leading scorers, All-Conference forward Mackenzie Clement (15 goals) and Olivia Giordano (12 goals).
Newcomers to watch include Wagner College transfer Sarah Weideman and first-year student Makala Baker.
Rowan opens the campaign on the road at Smith College on Sept. 1 with the home opener set for Sept. 7 versus Babson College.
The Rowan volleyball team, under 10th-year head coach Deana Jespersen, has a great mix of experienced veterans along with young, competitive players looking to contend for a NJAC Championship. The Profs claimed the conference title in both 2021 and 2022 and will look for a return to the top in 2024.
The Profs welcome back All-Region and All-Conference selection junior Jena Kaul, who led the conference in kills and points, ranking in the top 35 in Division III kills. She is joined by three-time All-Conference selection Brooke Adams as the senior setter moves closer to breaking the program's all-time assist record. Libero Vanessa Hutchinson returns, as the junior led all NJAC players in digs per set (4.87) last year,
The squad opens its 2024 season in Puerto Rico, playing three matches in two days, with the first coming on Aug. 30 against Buffalo State University. Rowan will host the Matt Blatt Mitsubishi Profs Invitational on Sept. 7 to open the home season.