Ewing, NJ… At this time last year, Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) was guiding The College of New Jersey women's basketball team to its best season in program history while reeling in a large number of awards as a player.

Since then, Klimowicz has moved to the sideline serving in her first year as an assistant coach for the Lions, however, one thing that hasn't changed is the former center continues to be honored for her exploits on the court.

Klimowicz was the recipient of the New Jersey Sports Writer's Association College Women's Basketball Player of the Year. She will be presented that award on Sunday, January 31 at the organization's 74th annual banquet to be held at Pines Manor in Edison.

She will be honored a second time by the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women as TCNJ's Woman of the Year recipient as part of the celebration of “National Girl and Women in Sports Day.” Klimowicz will receive this award at Seton Hall University on Sunday, February 7 during halftime of the Pirates game with St. John's University.

“I am pretty humbled to be receiving an award with such an incredible group of athletes and sports people,” Klimowicz said. “I was extremely honored when I received the Division III player of the year award, knowing how many dedicated and talented athletes there are at the D3 level. Helping my team get to the Final Four for the first time in the school's history and the first time in NJAC history last year was amazing and I wouldn't have wanted to be in a room with a different group of people when I was named the Player of the Year,” she added

Also being honored at the sports writer's banquet will be Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils CEO, President, General Manager, and recent inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame; Bob Hurley Sr. from St. Anthony's High School; and Terry Dehere, who was a member of Seton Hall University's men's basketball team that advanced to the 1989 NCAA Championship Game, as well as numerous other key performers and contributors to athletics in New Jersey.

"I'm so excited to have Hillary recognized by the New Jersey Sports Writers Association,” stated Lion head coach Dawn Henderson. “Hillary was an outstanding student-athlete at The College of New Jersey. Her commitment to academics and athletics are unsurpassed by any athlete I have ever coached. The Association could not have chosen a more deserving person than Hillary."

Klimowicz was the 2009 New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year marking the second straight year she has earned that honor. She additionally secured a spot on the All-NJAC First Team for the third straight season and was a finalist for the 2009 Jostens Trophy, as the top player in Division III.

The center led the team and NJAC in a host of categories averaging 20.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, 67.1 field-goal percentage, and 119 blocked shots. The center also topped all players in Division III in field-goal percentage and finished third in blocked shots per game at 4.1. She has also collected 14 double-doubles this season.

Klimowicz also set TCNJ's single-game scoring mark with a 35-point performance over William Paterson University, the single-season record for points scored in a season with 587, and ranks second in program history with 1,413 points and 832 rebounds.

She also excelled in the classroom being named CoSIDA's ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Second Team in the spring of 2009.

Klimowicz earned 2008 WBCA State Farm Coaches' All-America Team Honorable Mention and was the 2008 NJAC Player of the Year after joining the Lions from NCAA Division I St. Joseph's University, While at St. Joe's she was selected the 2005-06 Atlantic 10 and Big Five Rookie of the Year.

With her focus now on helping the current team from the bench rather than on the court, Klimowicz still takes time to reflect back on the best season in program history in which she was a big part of.

“After coaching for a few months now and understanding the ups and downs from the other side, I am only just beginning to understand just how special and memorable last season was.”