2022-23 SENIOR VIDEO 


WAYNE, N.J. – The William Paterson University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation honored the accomplishments of its 49 senior intercollegiate student-athletes and 12 club sports seniors at its annual Senior Intercollegiate Athletics and Club Sports Awards Reception May 1 in the University Commons Ballrooms.
 

In addition to celebrating each of the seniors, the Pioneers bestowed several individual awards during the event. Senior Nazier Wright (Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy) was named the recipient of the Roland Watts Award, given to a student-athlete who has demonstrated outstanding dedication and effort in his or her sport. The 2022 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the D3football.com All-America Fourth Team, All-ECAC First Team, D3football.com All-Region 2 Second Team and All-NJAC First Team, Wright finished his senior season ranked first on the team with 6.5 sacks and tied for first in tackles-for-loss (16). He totaled 68 tackles on the year, which was good for second on the team, to go along with a pair of forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and eight quarterback hurries. Named to the 2021 D3football.com All-Region 2 Third Team, All-ECAC Second Team and All-NJAC First Team, he graduated in January with a bachelor's degree in psychology.

Women's soccer student-athlete Isabel Medina (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) received the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award, given to the graduating senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA. A six-time Dean's List student and inductee into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national student-athlete honor society, Medina earned spots on the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions. The midfielder competed in 32 career matches, contributing an assist. She will graduate Summa Cum Laude this May with a bachelor's degree in communication, and is already pursuing a master's degree in professional communication.

 

Eliana Enright of the cheerleading team was the club sports' recipient of the Senior Scholar-Athlete Award. A 4.0 student, she will graduate Summa Cum Laude in May with a bachelor's in communication.
 
Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) and Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) were named the winners of the Pioneer Spirit Award, given to the senior student-athletes who exhibit unparalleled pride and enthusiasm for the Orange and Black. 

A transfer from County College of Morris, McDaniel lettered in three different sports at WP. During three softball seasons she has played in 95 games (94 starts), posting a .330 average. 20 doubles, six triples, five home runs, 58 RBI and 62 runs scored while earning second-team all-NJAC honors in 2021. McDaniel competed in eight matches for the tennis team (fall 2019, fall 2022) and joined the swimming and diving team during the fall of 2022, breaking the school records in the 50 fly (26.17) and 100 IM (1:02.14). A Chi Alpha Sigma inductee and Dean's List student, she was a 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar-Athlete and a member of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in May of 2021 with a bachelor's in exercise science and is currently pursuing a master's in exercise physiology.

Weis has started 186 games in 194 appearances for the WP baseball team, hitting .341 with 175 runs scored, 164 RBI, 48 doubles, 10 triples, 13 home runs and 17 stolen bases, compiling a .995 fielding percentage at first base. A member of the 2022 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-Region 4 and All-NJAC Second Teams as well as the 2021 All-NJAC Honorable Mention, he is a Chi Alpha Sigma inductee, Dean's List student and member of the 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions. He graduated Cum Laude in May of 2021 with a bachelor's in athletic training and completed a master's in sports administration in 2022.

Softball's Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) garnered WP's first Comeback Student-Athlete Award, presented to the student-athlete who has displayed courage and persistence while overcoming adversity to achieve competitive excellence. Monahan has persevered through numerous injuries to play in 112 career games (94 starts), compiling a .296 batting average, 18 doubles, seven home runs, 59 RBI and 22 runs scored. Selected to the 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region IV Second Team, she is a Chi Alpha Sigma inductee, Dean's List student, 2019 and 2022 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athlete and member of the 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mentions. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2022 with bachelor's degrees in psychology and early childhood education, and is currently pursuing a master's in counseling.
 

In addition, 30 senior student-athletes were acknowledged as recipients of the Academic Excellence Award for maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
 
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit http://www.wpupioneers.com and http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.
 
* indicates 2022-23 Academic Excellence Award recipient
# indicates previous Academic Excellence Award recipient
& indicates Chi Alpha Sigma inductee  
 
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
BASEBALL
David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) *&
Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) #&
Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) #&
Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional) #&
Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison) #&
Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) #&
Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional) #&
Steve Yelin (River Edge, N.J./River Dell Regional)

MEN'S BASKETBALL
Michael Gilmore (Teaneck, N.J./Pine Forge Academy) *
Adryan Lopez (Garfield, N.J./Lyndhurst)
Cody Ripato (Tollesboro, Ky./Augusta) *&

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Justina Cabezas (Carlstadt, N.J./Becton Regional)
Allison McBride (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional) *&
Yakira Rosa (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) *&

FIELD HOCKEY
Dana Burgess (Delran, N.J./Holy Cross)
Megan Hoopes (Westmont, N.J./Haddon Twp.) #&
Gina Piscitelli (Oaklyn, N.J./Collingswood)

FOOTBALL
Nasir Adams (Newark, N.J./Hudson Catholic)
Key'maan Coleman (Rahway, N.J./Rahway)
Matt Gore (Washington, D.C./Crossland)
David Pierre (Carteret, N.J./Carteret)
Zahere Ritman (Edgewater Park, N.J./Burlington City)
Dequan Stubbs (East Orange, N.J./Barringer) *&
Tahir Taylor (Hyannis, Mass./Barnstable)  
Emilio Vasquez (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck)
Nazier Wright (Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy)

GOLF
Antonio Martiniello (Paramus, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) *&
Christopher McCann (Highland Lakes, N.J./Vernon Twp.) *&

MEN'S SOCCER
Jason Diaz (Hawthorne, N.J./Hawthorne)
Johnny Gadaleta (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough)
Alfredo Gonzalez (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) *
Erick Gonzalez (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark)
Kyle Hanlon (Charleston, S.C./James Island Carter) *&
David Moreira (Pittstown, N.J./North Hunterdon)
Anthony Nole (Clifton, N.J./Clifton)

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Lindsey Ash (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Atlantic Christian) *
Haylee Baker (Marlboro, N.J./Colts Neck) *&
Sabrina Bishara (Port Jervis, N.Y./Port Jervis) *&
Callista Long (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional) *&
Isabel Medina (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) *&

SOFTBALL
Gabriella Brancaccio (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) *
Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) #&
Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler) #&
Anna Nunziato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) #&
Kilee Oertel (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) *&
Jasmine Vera (Dumont, N.J./Dumont)

WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING
Stephany Bolanos (Perth Amboy, N.J./Academy for Allied Health & Biomedical Sciences) *&
Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) #&
Emily Murphy (Stockholm, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional) *&

TENNIS
Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) #&
Emily Murphy (Stockholm, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional) *&
Anna Nunziato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) #&
Kilee Oertel (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) *&

VOLLEYBALL
Kathleen Burrough (North Burlington, N.J./North Burlington) *&

CLUB SPORTS
BOWLING
Jack Scanlon  
Brandon Vallone 
Jason Wichnovitz

CHEERLEADING
Tara Dixon
Eliana Enright 

ICE HOCKEY
John Foley 
Dillon Krok  
Cole Mulholland 
Zachary Thompson 
Daniel Trionfo 

RUGBY
Justin Meador 
Edward Olsen