The College of New Jersey: Klimowicz Named All-American
Friday, March 21, 2008
Holland, MI--The College of New Jersey women’s basketball junior center Hillary Klimowicz (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) was named to the 2007-08 State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team Honorable Mentions for NCAA Division III on Friday.
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and State Farm announced the 2008 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III State Farm Coaches’ All-America Basketball Team. This year’s team marks the first State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team, as Eastman Kodak held the previous sponsorship for 25 years. Selection committees in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions select 10 of the top women’s basketball players in the nation to be honored. In addition, an honorable mention team was also selected.
Klimowicz was one of five players from Region 3 named to the national ballot for the 2008 State Farm Coaches’ All-America Basketball Team for the Women’s Coaches Basketball Coaches Association for Division III. There are eight different regions and the 40 finalists, who were voted upon by WBCA member coaches in each of the eight WBCA award regions.
The State Farm Coaches' All-America Basketball Team was announced at the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Banquet at Hope College in Holland, Mich.
The 2007-08 Lions went 22-7 on the season and won the New Jersey Athletic Conference South Division with an 11-2 conference mark and advanced to the conference championship game. The team then earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Championship and moved into the second round of the tournament.
Klimowicz has reeled in numerous conference honors as she was selected as the 2008 NJAC Player of the Year and a First Team All-NJAC honoree.
The center had a banner season leading the team in a host of categories. She was the team’s top scorer and rebounder averaging 16.9 points and 11.0 boards. Those numbers rank her second and third, respectively, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. She also leads the conference in field goal percentage hitting on 64.4 percent of her shots (206-for-320) and blocked shots per game at 4.10 per contest. Those numbers rank second and fourth nationally.
Klimowicz has received a host of other honors this season, including being named the NJAC Player of the Week seven times and ECAC Metro Player of the Week twice. She was named the most valuable player of the Gwynedd-Mercy College Classic and earned a spot on the Marymount University Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament Team. She recorded 20 double-doubles this season and scored in double figures in 27 of 29 games.
Klimowicz was previously recognized for her effort in the classroom as she earned CoSIDA’s ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division honors. She was named All-District II Third Team as a psychology major and boasts a grade-point-average of 3.318.
Klimowicz was a 2006-07 All-NJAC First Team selection after joining the Lions from NCAA Division I St. Joseph’s University where she was selected the 2005-06 Atlantic 10 and Big Five Rookie of the Year.