PITMAN, N.J. – William Paterson baseball junior third baseman David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) and senior field hockey back Alicia Mitchell (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills) secured spots on the 2021-22 Academic All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) First Team, leading a list of 90 WP honorees. The 90 selections are the most ever for the Pioneers.

Senior field hockey back Victoria Perlroth (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) and graduate student baseball pitcher Jason Rivera (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) were second-team selections, while 86 other Pioneers received honorable-mention laurels.

Backo played in nine games during the 2022 season, starting once and tallying a .400 average. A member of the 2020-21 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention, he was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national student-athlete honor society, and has been a Dean's List student every semester at WP.
 
A member of the 2020-21 Academic All-NJAC First Team and 2019-20 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention, Mitchell started 15 of 16 appearances this fall and posted seven goals and four assists. A Dean's List student every semester, she is a Chi Alpha Sigma inductee and a four-time recipient of the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Scholar of Distinction and National Academic Squad awards.
 
Perlroth played in six career contests, and was a three-time NFHCA Scholar of Distinction and National Academic Squad member. Inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, she was a Dean's List student every semester and earned a spot on the 2019-20 and 2020-21 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions.

Rivera made nine relief appearances this spring, registering a 1-0 record and 9.0 innings pitched. Inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma and a Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Dean's List student, he was named to the 2020-21 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention. Rivera graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's in sport management in August of 2021 before pursuing a master's in sports administration.

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2021-22 Academic All-New Jersey Athletic Conference Team 
First Team 
David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington), Jr., Baseball, Financial Planning
Alicia Mitchell (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills), Sr., Field Hockey/Women's Tennis, Athletic Training
 
Second Team
Victoria Perlroth (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley), Sr., Field Hockey, Psychology/Health Studies
Jason Rivera (Clifton, N.J./Clifton), Gr., Baseball, Sports Administration
 
Honorable Mention
Hope Addlesberger (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson), Sr., Field Hockey, Nursing
Chris Alberti (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake), So., Baseball, Physical Education
Dakota Apicella (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick), Sr., Women's Volleyball, Physical Education
Lindsey Ash (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Atlantic Christian), Jr., Women's Soccer, Exercise Science
Haylee Baker (Marlboro, N.J./Colts Neck), Jr., Women's Soccer, Biology
Roger Bermejo (Passaic, N.J./Passaic County Technical Institute), So., Men's Soccer, Sport Management
Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South), Sr., Softball, Integrated Math & Science/Elementary Education
Sabrina Bishara (Port Jervis, N.Y./Port Jervis), So., Women's Soccer, Physical Education
Devyn Blount (Long Branch, N.J./Long Branch), So., Football, Criminology & Criminal Justice
Stephany Bolanos (Perth Amboy, N.J./Academy for Allied Health & Biomedical Sciences), Jr., Women's Swimming & Diving, Nursing
Kathleen Burrough (North Burlington, N.J./North Burlington), Jr., Women's Volleyball, Art
Hannah Cardenas (Hackettstown, N.J./Mount Olive), So., Women's Swimming & Diving, Psychology/Biology
Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), Sr., Baseball, History
Thor Connelly (National Park, N.J./Gateway Regional), So., Football, Communication
Lexi Corio (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), So., Softball, Psychology/Elementary Education
Brett Coyle (Sparta, N.J./Sparta), So., Baseball, Finance
Haley DeBonta (Highland Lakes, N.J./Vernon Twp.), So., Field Hockey, Nursing
Adrian Dieckman (Little Egg Harbor, N.J./Pinelands Regional), So., Field Hockey, Psychology/Early Childhood Education
Isabel Fernandez (Kearny, N.J./Kearny), Sr., Women's Soccer, Finance
Julia Fiorito (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North), So., Women's Soccer, Marketing
Kristin Freas-Papa (Westville, N.J./Gateway Regional), Gr., Field Hockey, Sports Administration
William Frese (Waldwick, N.J./Waldwick), Sr., Football, Sport Management
Taylor Friedman (South Amboy, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial), Sr., Women's Swimming & Diving, Communication Disorders
Sean Furtek (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley), Jr., Men's Soccer, Sport Management
Johnny Gadaleta (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough), Jr., Men's Soccer, Sport Management
Grace Gaskill (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert), So., Softball, Psychology/Elementary Education
Michael Gilmore (Teaneck, N.J./Pine Forge Academy), Jr., Men's Basketball, Music
Alfredo Gonzalez (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough), Jr., Men's Soccer, Biology
Kyle Grehan (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert), So., Men's Soccer, Nursing
Sara Haller (Cupertino, Calif./Monta Vista), Sr., Women's Swimming & Diving, Athletic Training
Kyle Hanlon (Charleston, S.C./James Island Carter), Sr., Men's Soccer, Sport Management
Thomas Hatch (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon), Jr., Men's Soccer, Accounting
Thomas Haughey (Folsom, Pa./Ridley), Sr., Men's Swimming & Diving, Chemistry
Connor Hayden (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson), So., Men's Soccer, Sports Medicine
Erica Hickey (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue), Gr., Women's Soccer/Women's Tennis, Public Policy
Ariel Higuera (Union City, N.J./Union City), Jr., Football, Sport Management
Megan Hoopes (Westmont, N.J./Haddon Twp.), Sr., Field Hockey/Women's Swimming & Diving, Management
Nicole Kahwaty (Lakke Hopatcong, N.J./Morris County Tech), So., Women's Swimming & Diving, Psychology/Elementary Education
James Koegler (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills), So., Football, Art
Hailey Krajewski (Clifton, N.J./DePaul Catholic), So., Women's Soccer//Women's Swimming & Diving, Psychology
Gianna Labiento (Lynbrook, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy), Jr., Women's Soccer/Women's Tennis, Chemistry
Chris Laccetti (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls), Sr., Men's Soccer, Art
Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional), Sr., Baseball, Criminology & Criminal Justice
Chris Liriano (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), Sr., Baseball, Physical Education
Daniella LoBue (Clifton, N.J./Clifton), Sr., Women's Soccer, Exercise Science
Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison), Sr., Baseball, Sport Management
Callista Long (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional), Jr., Women's Soccer, Exercise Science
Abigail Malandro (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional), So., Women's Swimming & Diving, Nursing
Sean Maldonato (Haskell, N.J./Lakeland Regional), Sr., Football, Physical Education
Marcel Mason (Plainfield, N.J./Piscataway), Sr., Football, Sociology/Criminology & Criminal Justice
Taylor Mastropasqua (East Windsor, N.J./Hightstown), Sr., Women's Soccer/Women's Tennis, Physical Education
Allison McBride (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional), Jr., Women's Basketball, Nursing
Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton), Gr., Softball, Exercise Physiology
Isabel Medina (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), Jr., Women's Soccer, Communication
Martin Menendez (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional), Gr., Men's Soccer, Finance
Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler), Sr., Softball, Psychology/Early Childhood Education
Joe Monroig (Belleville, N.J./Belleville), Jr., Football, Communication
Matt Monteverde (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), Sr., Football, Sport Management
Emily Murphy (Stockholm, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional), Jr., Women's Swimming & Diving/Women's Tennis, Sociology
Kelsie Murphy (West Milford, N.J./West Milford), Sr., Field Hockey, Physical Education
Lauren Naveo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), Sr., Softball, Marketing
Anthony Newman (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany), So., Men's Swimming & Diving, Sociology/Criminology & Criminal Justice
Anna Nunziato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo), Sr., Softball, Finance
Kilee Oertel (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg), Jr., Softball, Psychology/Criminology & Criminal Justice
Haley Olsen (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), Sr., Field Hockey, Nursing
Megan Ponce (Clifton, N.J./Paramus Catholic), Sr., Women's Soccer, Computer Science
Michaela Raguseo (Woodland Park, N.J./Passaic Valley), So., Softball, Mathematics/Secondary Education
Cody Ripato (Tollesboro, Ky./Augusta), Jr., Men's Basketball, Sport Management
Nick Rodriguez (Redding, Calif./Shasta), Sr., Men's Basketball, Management
Yubir Rojas-Herrera (Matawan, N.J./Matawan Regional), So., Football, Sociology/Criminology & Criminal Justice
Yakira Rosa (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), Jr., Women's Basketball, Political Science/Economics
Brooke Sachau (Franklin Twp., N.J./Franklin), Jr., Women's Soccer, Athletic Training/Exercise Science
Jared Salgado (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills), Sr., Football, Criminology & Criminal Justice
Leah Santonastaso (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny Regional), Sr., Women's Swimming & Diving, Sociology
Carly Santucci (Bayville, N.J./Central Regional), So., Field Hockey, Nursing
Ashley Sawyer (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills), Sr., Women's Tennis, Communication
Kourtney Scipio (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), So., Field Hockey, Communication Disorders
Brianna Smith (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley), Jr., Women's Basketball, Liberal Studies/Elementary Education
Richie Squeo (Keansburg, N.J./Keansburg), Sr., Football, Sociology/Elementary Education
Heather Stauffacher (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville), So., Field Hockey, Sports Medicine
Abigail Viola (Monroe Twp., N.J./Monroe Twp.), Sr., Field Hockey/Women's Tennis, Physical Education
Kristin Volavka (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley), Sr., Women's Volleyball, Communication Disorders
Pat Warburton (Paramus, N.J./Paramus), So., Baseball, Finance
Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton), So., Softball, Psychology
Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), Gr., Baseball, Sports Administration
Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), Sr., Baseball, Finance