SIX FROM STOCKTON RECEIVE NJAC WEEKLY AWARDS

Marc Asta

John Lightbody

Kelly Dodd

Demetrius Rooks

Jill Shaner

Lisa Shepherd

Richard Stockton student-athletes received a whopping six NJAC weekly awards for their efforts from May 10-16. In baseball, Marc Asta (Jackson/Jackson) was named NJAC Player of the Week and John Lightbody (Toms River/TR East) was chosen NJAC Pitcher of the Week. Kelly Dodd (Linwood/ Mainland) was selected NJAC Softball Player of the Week.

The Ospreys also collected three track & field honors. Demetrius Rooks (Galloway/Absegami) was named NJAC Men’s Rookie of the Week for the fourth time and Jill Shaner (Egg Harbor Twp./EHT) was chosen NJAC Women’s Rookie of the Week for the third time. Lisa Shepherd (Mays Landing/ Oakcrest) earned the NJAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week nod for the third time this year.

Asta and Lightbody led Stockton to the ECAC Metro baseball championship. Asta batted a team-high .462 (6-13) with four runs while Lightbody went 1-0 with one save, three strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in three appearances as the Ospreys won the ECAC title with three consecutive victories. Asta hit safely in each contest and finished the season with a 12-game hitting streak. Lightbody allowed just two hits in a total of 3 2/3 scoreless innings pitched.

Dodd sparked Stockton to a runner-up finish in the ECAC Metro softball tournament with team highs in batting (.583; 7-12), RBI (5), slugging percentage (.750) and on-base percentage (.643) during the Ospreys’ five ECAC games. Dodd also scored three runs and slugged two doubles last week. The senior first baseman capped her career as Stockton’s all-time leader in RBI (110) and home runs (12).

Rooks won two events while Shaner captured one at the ECAC Track & Field Championships on May 13-14. Rooks crossed the finish line first in the 400m (48.01 seconds) and 400m hurdles (53.30 seconds). The freshman speedster established personal bests in both events and broke his own school record in the 400m hurdles. Shaner won the javelin (44.71 meters) for the eighth consecutive meet this spring.

Shepherd finished second in the high jump (1.68m) at the ECAC meet after falling short in a jump-off with the event winner. Shepherd and Shaner have automatically qualified for the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships in the high jump and javelin respectively. Rooks is a provisional qualifier in the 400m and 400m hurdles who is expected to receive an NCAA berth in both events. The NCAA Championships will take place on May 27-29.