Pomona, NJ…The College of New Jersey’s men’s and women’s cross country both captured the 2004 New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday, while running at Richard Stockton College. The men’s title was the 11th in a row for the Lions and the program’s 16th overall, while the 2004 crown was the tenth consecutive for TCNJ’s women and 21st overall.
           TCNJ’s men’s and women’s squads are both nationally ranked as the Lions men’s team is currently ranked No. 8 in Division III, while TCNJ’s women’s team is ranked 16th in Division III. TCNJ’s junior Jenna Fasulo (Berlin, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and senior Matt Molski (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) were named the 2004 NJAC Female and Male Cross Country Runners of the Year after both won their respective titles on Saturday to help the Lions defend their NJAC titles.
Men’s Race
TEAM STANDINGS
1.        TCNJ                          22
2.        Rowan                       48
3.        Kean                          88
4.        Richard Stockton      94
5.        Ramapo College       165
6.        Montclair State         169
7.        William Paterson      184
8.        Rutgers-Camden      231
The leading runner for the men’s squad was senior Matt Molski as he won the race and collected the title as the NJAC’s Male Cross Country Runner of the Year. Molski turned in a time of 25:42.2 on the 8,000 meter course. A tenth place finisher a year ago, Molski, who is a returning CoSIDA Academic All-American, also earned NJAC All-Star First Team honors for his efforts on Saturday.
Sophomore Dave dos Santos (Randolph, NJ/Randolph) was the runner-up for the 8k course with a time of 25:52.7.
The next Lion to place was senior Rob Barger (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) as he took fifth place in 26:03.8. Sixth place went to the Lions’ freshman Kyle Alpaugh (Clinton, NJ/Voorhees) with his performance of 26:06.2 for the race.
Senior Sean Lesniak (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) recorded an eighth place showing in 26:10.4, while junior Jeff Zodda (Mercerville, NJ/Notre Dame) picked up ninth in 26:20.8. The final scorer for the Lions was freshman Brian Kopnicki (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) in 10th place in 26:22.2.
TCNJ would win the race, placing seven runners in the top ten, despite running the race without a pair of key seniors, Brian Donovan (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) and Joe Lacovara-Switzer ( Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) , who both sat out this week to rest in preparation for the 2004 NCAA Atlantic Regionals. A year ago, Donovan was the NJAC’s Male Runner of the Year (2003) after winning the league’s cross country crown, while Lacovara-Switzer picked up third place at the race.
Women’s Highlights
TEAM STANDINGS
1.        TCNJ                          15
2.        Rowan                       56
3.        Ramapo                     92
4.        Richard Stockton      130
5.        Rutgers-Camden      146
6.        Montclair State         149
7.        Kean                          180
Capturing the title as the 2004 NJAC Female Cross Country Runner of the Year was the Lions’ junior 
Jenna Fasulo. She won the women’s 6,000 meter course with a time of 22:59.4. She was the first of the runners to cross the finish line as TCNJ had the first 10 finishers in the race, taking first through 10th. A sixth place finisher a year ago, Fasulo earned her second straight NJAC All-Star First Team selection with her performance on Saturday.
Rookie Sarah Best (High Bridge, NJ/Voorhees) picked up second place in 23:24.6, while another Lion rookie, Erin Enderly (Ocean, NJ/Ocean Township) took third place in 23:38.8.
Freshman Julie Ullmeyer (West Long Branch, NJ/Shore Regional) finished in fourth in 23:42.3, while freshman Jenna Bauberger (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills) took fifth in 23:50.9.
Sophomore Kristen Pogorzelski (Jacobstown, NJ/Northern Burlington) captured sixth in 23:56.2, while seventh went to senior Meghan O’Halloran (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) in 24:01.0.
Junior Kara Horner (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) took home eighth in 24:05.4, while ninth went to junior Jennifer Zucaro (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) with her time of 24:13.4 and junior Sarah Spilman (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) took home tenth with her time of 24:15.5.
