PITMAN, N.J. – William Paterson baseball senior David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington) and junior swimmer Nicole Kahwaty (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Morris County Tech) earned spots on the 2022-23 Academic All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) First Team, leading a list of 66 WP honorees.

Senior Cody Ripato (Tollesboro, Ky./Augusta) of the men's basketball team and junior Michaela Raguseo (Woodland Park, N.J./Passaic Valley) of the softball team garnered second-team accolades, while 62 other Pioneers received honorable-mention laurels.

Backo, now a three-time Academic All-NJAC Team honoree after receiving first-team recognition a season ago and honorable mention honors two years ago, started seven of the 10 games he appeared in during the 2023 season while compiling three hits, three runs, two RBI and a pair of doubles. 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 2021-22 Academic Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention, Kahwaty was an impact performer of the swim team, posting personal-best times in the 200 breast, 1000 free and 1650 free. She is a Chi Alpha Sigma inductee and has been Dean's List student every semester.
 
Ripato, who earned 2021-22 Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention, started in all 25 games this past season and finished with 122 points while shooting the ball at a 46-percent clip (51-of-112) from the field. Inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, he has been a Dean's List student each of the last six semesters.

Raguseo appeared in 10 games and carried a .500 average at the plate this spring season. She has been a Dean's List student every semester at WP and got the Academic All-NJAC Honorable Mention nod last year. Additionally, she is a 2022 National Faspitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athlete.

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2022-23 Academic All-New Jersey Athletic Conference Team 
First Team 
David Backo (Wallington, N.J./Wallington), Sr., Baseball, Financial Planning
Nicole Kahwaty (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Morris County Tech), Jr., Swimming, Elementary Education and Psychology

Second Team
Cody Ripato (Tollesboro, Ky./Augusta), Sr., Sport Management
Michaela Raguseo (Woodland Park, N.J./Passaic Valley), Jr., Mathematics
 
Honorable Mention
Baseball
Chris Alberti (Hawthorne, N.Y./Westlake), Jr., Physical Education
Dan Carter (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), Gr., History
Dan Castaneda (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), Sr., Sport Management
Steven DiGirolamo (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), Gr., Applied Business Analytics
Jake Fallers (Wilmington, Del./Archmere Academy), So., Exercise Science
Matt Lawler (Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional), Gr., Sociology
Colin Lombardo (Edison, N.J./Edison), Gr., Business Administration
Jake Lutz (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), Jr., Physical Education
Ian Metzger (Verona, N.J./Verona), Jr., Criminology and Criminal Justice
Pat Pantoliano (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), So., Sport Management
Ruven Pino (Fairview, N.J./Bergen Catholic), So., Secondary Education
Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J./Verona), So., Computer Science
Carson Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), Gr., Sports Administration
Riley Weis (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley Regional), Gr., Business Administration

Men's Basketball
Michael Gilmore (Teaneck, N.J./Pine Forge Academy), Sr., Music
Kevin McNicholas (Blairstown, N.J./Kittitany), So., Exercise Science
Patrick Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler), Jr., Sport Management

Women's Basketball
Jade Martinez (Ridgefield Park, N.J./Ridgefield Park), So., Psychology
Allison McBride (Ringwood, N.J./Lakeland Regional), Sr., Nursing
Mackenzie O'Brien (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville), So., Sport Management
Victoria Palladino (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North), So., Early Childhood Education
Yakira Rosa (Dumont, N.J./Dumont), Sr., Political Science
Brianna Smith (Hillsdale, N.J./Pascack Valley), Jr., Elementary Education and Communication

Field Hockey
Megan Hoopes (Westmont, N.J./Haddon Twp.), Gr., Business Administration
Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South), Gr., Curriculum and Learning/STEAM

Football
Devyn Blount (Neptune, N.J./Long Branch), Jr., Criminology and Criminal Justice
Thor Connelly (National Park, N.J./Gateway Regional), Jr., Communication
James Koegler (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany Hills), Jr., Art
Dequan Stubbs (East Orange, N.J./Barringer), Sr., Psychology

Men's Soccer
Kyle Hanlon (Charleston, S.C./James Island Carter), Gr., Sports Administration
Thomas Hatch (Kinnelon, N.J./Kinnelon), Sr., Accounting
Connor Hayden (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson), Sr., Sports Medicine
Owen Stahl (Succasunna, N.J./Seton Hall Prep), Sr., History and Economics
Daniel Youn (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), So., Nursing

Women's Soccer
Lindsey Ash (Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Atlantic Christian), Sr., Exercise Science
Haylee Baker (Marlboro, N.J./Colts Neck), Sr., Biology
Sabrina Bishara (Port Jervis, N.Y./Port Jervis), Jr., Physical Education
Brianna De La Cruz (Clifton, N.J./Clifton), So., Sport Medicine
Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), So., Environmental Science
Hailey Krajewski (Clifton, N.J./DePaul Catholic), Jr., Psychology
Gianna Labiento (Lynbrook, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy), Sr., Chemistry
Callista Long (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional), Jr., Exercise Science
Isabel Medina (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield), Sr., Communication
Hailey Nelson (Elmer, N.J./A.P. Schalick), So., Sport Medicine
Madelynn Spink (Bellmawr, N.J./Audubon), So., Physical Education
Giovanna Stull (Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany), So., Biology
Alexa Teixeira (Kearny, N.J./Kearny), So., Elementary Education
Diana Zuta (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes), So., Exercise Science
Elisa Zuta (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes), Jr., Computer Science

Softball
Lindsey Acker (Wenonah, N.J./Deptford), So., Physical Education
Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South), Gr., Curriculum and Learning/STEAM
Kylie Bythrow (Deptford, N.J./Deptford), So., Nursing
Grace Gaskill (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert), Jr., Elementary Education and Psychology
Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), So., Environmental Science
Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J./Butler), Gr., Counseling
Kilee Oertel (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg), Sr., Psychology and Criminology and Criminal Justice
Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton), Jr., Psychology

Men's Swimming
Shane Apito (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany), So., Sport Management
Anthony Newman (Lake Hiawatha, N.J./Parsippany), Jr., Sociology and Criminology and Criminal Justice

Women's Swimming
Hailey Krajewski (Clifton, N.J./DePaul Catholic), Jr., Psychology
Emily Murphy (Stockholm, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional), Sr., Sociology

Women's Tennis
Ariana Alonso (Caldwell, N.J./Mount Saint Dominic), So., Marketing
Abigail Malandro (Beach Haven, N.J./Southern Regional), Jr., Nursing
Emily Murphy (Stockholm, N.J./Wallkill Valley Regional), Sr., Sociology
Victoria Palladino (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North), So., Early Childhood Education

Volleyball
Kathleen Burrough (North Burlington, N.J./North Burlington), Sr., Art
Beatriz Soares (Harrison, N.J./County Prep), So., Accounting