NAPERVILLE, IL --NJIT had 23 student-athletes in seven sports named to the 2009 Great West Conference Winter/Spring All-Academic Team, Ed Grom, the commissioner of the conference, announced on Friday.
The honorees were: Aamir Ahmed and Josh Dolisca in men's indoor and outdoor track and field; Daisy Gallegos, Katrina Hornstein, Jackie Brunner and Cara Constantino in women's indoor and outdoor track and field; Gary Garris, Paulius Skema and Dan Stonkus in men's basketball; Maya Al-Shingieti, Jill Dickinson, Katie Piekielski and Ivana Seric in women's basketball; Fanny Aizier, Isha Toor and Iulia Doci in women's tennis; and, Steven Ace, James D'Aloia, Thomas Farina, Matt Tomczyk and Kyle McCarthy in baseball.
Here is a list of the recipients in alphabetical order:
Steven Ace (baseball; sophomore; Beach Lake, PA) … industrial engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.57 … Ace, the big right-hander who moved into the starting rotation after being a middle reliever last season appeared in 12 games (starting nine). He logged 47 innings pitched, nearly four times the total from his freshman season.
Aamir Ahmed (men's indoor and outdoor track and field; sophomore; Teaneck, NJ) … biomedical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.618.
Fanny Aizier (women's tennis; junior; Aix En Provence, France) … computer science major; cumulative GPA 3.46 … posted a 13-6 overall record. ... 12-5 in dual matches ... 7-3 at third singles.
Maya Al-Shingieti (women's basketball; sophomore; Vienna, VA) … communications major; cumulative GPA 3.23 … played in 27 games (three starts) ... season-high 5 rebounds vs. Hofstra (12/29) and Longwood (2/14).
Jackie Bunner (women's indoor and outdoor track and field; sophomore; Raritan, NJ) … civil engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.309.
Cara Constantino (women's indoor and outdoor track and field; junior; Bloo, NJ) … architecture major; cumulative GPA 3.719 … team captain … named to the Fall Great West Conference all-Academic team.
James D'Aloia (baseball; sophomore; Lakewood, NJ) … mechanical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.608 … D'Aloia, one of NJIT's best defensive outfielders, appeared in 31 games, starting 25.
Jill Dickinson (women's basketball; senior; Milltown, NJ) … business major; cumulative GPA 3.449 … led the team in 3-pt field goals made (64) and attempts (164) ... scored in double-figures 10 times (high of 22 vs. Texas-Pan Am on 1/24) ... second on NJIT's all-time career list in three-point field goals (171); third in three-point attempts (506) and games played (111) and seventh in free throw percentage (70 percent).
Iulia Doci (women's tennis; senior; Bistrita, Romania) … business major; cumulative GPA 3.929 … closed out her career that included being named National Division I Independent Player of the Year in women's tennis in 2007-08 and was also named to the all-Independent first team at number one singles. Doci's career singles record ends at 65-14, all at number one. Doci was named to the Independent all-Tournament team.
Josh Dolisca (men's indoor and outdoor track and field; sophomore; Maplewood, NJ) … electrical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.347 … top weight thrower, holds the school-record in the shotput.
Thomas Farina (baseball; senior; New Hyde Park, NY) … civil engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.391 … tri-captain ... saw action in 19 games (six starts).
Daisy Galleogs (women's indoor and outdoor track and field; sophomore; Jersey City, NJ) … information technology major; cumulative GPA 3.757.
Gary Garris (men's basketball; junior; Ledgewood, NJ) … business major; cumulative GPA 3.522 … team captain … honorable mention on the 2008-09 Division I all-Independent team … first player in school history to start 31 games in a season … leading rebounder (5.7 rpg) and leader in total steals (49) and 3-point field goals made (33) … scored in double figures 16 times (high of 23 vs. Towson on 11/24).
Katrina Hornstein (women's indoor and outdoor track and field; junior; Duluth, MN) … mechanical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.902.
Kyle McCarthy (baseball; junior; Collingswood, NJ) … mathematical science major; cumulative GPA 4.000 … appeared in 25 games (17 starts) leading the team in putouts with 150. At the plate, he batted .250 with 14 hits and eight RBI.
Katie Piekielski (women's basketball; junior; Atco, NJ) … biology major; cumulative GPA 3.672 … played in 27 games (10 starts) ... scored in double-figures three times (season-high 13 points vs. Bryant (2/18) … reached double-figure rebounds in one game (career-high 10 vs. Utah Valley 2/12).
PJ Saporito (baseball; senior; New Milford, NJ) … chemical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.484 … appeared in 15 games with a team-leading 14 starts (60.1 IP, 44 K, 14 BB).
Ivana Seric (women's basketball; sophomore; Split, Croatia) … mathematical science; cumulative GPA 3.797 … only player to start every game (29) ... team-leading 70 assists. ... scored in double-figures five times (high of 13 pts vs. Bryant 2/18) ... career-high six assists at Bryant (1/28).
Paulius Skema (men's basketball; sophomore; Vilnius, Lithuania) … business major; cumulative GPA 3.893 … career-highs of 13 pts, 11 rebs vs. Monmouth (11/29) ... shared game rebound honors with 7 at Penn State (11/17).
Dan Stonkus (men's basketball; junior; Monmouth Junction, NJ) … mechanical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.357 … missed last two games due to concussion sustained at Utah Valley 2/28 ... collected 9 rebounds, 2 blocks at Rutgers 12/23.
Matt Tomczyk (baseball; sophomore; Ringwood, NJ) … mechanical engineering major; cumulative GPA 3.279 … appeared in 33 games (32 starts). He got 16 hits.
Isha Toor (women's tennis; junior; Chandigarth, India) … business major; cumulative GPA 3.929 … finished 7-6 overall; 4-3 at fourth singles.
Selection to the team requires that the student-athlete achieve a minimum cumulative 3.2 grade point average and have participated in at least 50% of the contests. The honorees must also be at least a sophomore athletically.
