CNBNews

    Pitman, NJ—Kean University senior quarterback A.J. Roque (Matawan, NJ/Matawan) and The College of New Jersey's senior defensive lineman Joseph King (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingston) have been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Football Players of the Year respectively for the 2007 season.

    A two-time NJAC Offensive Player of the Year and a four-time all-conference selection (three times at quarterback, once at punter), Roque completed 175 of 316 pass attempts for school-records of 2,463 yards and 19 touchdowns. He currently leads the NJAC in passing yards per game (246.3), total offense per game (243.8), and passer efficiency rating (130.6). A Week 11 NJAC Offensive Player of the Week selection, he set all-time conference marks for career passing yards (8,448) and touchdown passes (65). Roque is Kean's all-time career leader in both passing yards and punting yardage (8,075).

    A three-time all-conference selection, King has posted TCNJ team-high totals in tackles (68), tackles for a loss (27.5), and sacks (14.0). A three-time NJAC Defensive Player of the Week selection, he currently leads the NJAC in both sacks and tackles for a loss. On his career, he has posted totals of 139 tackles, 33.5 sacks, and 55.5 tackles for a loss. King was instrumental in the Lions' school-record eight consecutive victories which led to a share of the 2007 NJAC Championship and the league's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Division III National Tournament.

    Western Connecticut State University freshman running back Wayne Neal (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie) was selected as the NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. The second consecutive Colonial to garner the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, he rushed for 839 yards on 205 carries. A five-time NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week selection, Neal currently ranks third in the NJAC in rushing with an average of 83.9 yards per game.

    Cortland State freshman linebacker Brian Haas (East Aurora, NY/St. Francis) was selected as the NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year. A six-time NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Week selection, he recorded double-figure tackles in each of his last five games and six times overall during the season. Haas, who currently ranks second in the NJAC in tackles with an average of 9.5 per game, became the first Cortland player to reach 100 tackles since 1995 and the first Red Dragon freshman with 100 since the school started compiling full defensive stats in 1979.

    The College of New Jersey's head coach Eric Hamilton was selected as the NJAC Coach of the Year by his peers. Picked to finish seventh in the NJAC preseason coaches' poll, he guided the Lions to a school-record eight consecutive victories and a share of the NJAC Championship with a 6-1 league mark. After capturing the NJAC's automatic bid the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, the Lions earned a 17-14 first round road win at Rensselaer. TCNJ, currently 9-2 overall, will travel to face two-time defending Division III National Champion Mount Union in a second round NCAA game on November 24. In 31 seasons at the helm of the Lions program, Hamilton has recorded an overall record of 188-117-6.