CNBNews

PITMAN, NJ – Rowan senior Mike Shannon has been named the 2024 NJAC Pitcher of the Year, as the league’s awards were announced today. Additionally, Shannon and Tyler Cannon earned All-Conference First Team honors, while Patrick Defeciani, Jason Morgan, Dylan Maria were also selected to the All-NJAC Second Team and Chris Serrano received All-NJAC Honorable Mention.  

Shannon (Bellmawr, NJ/Triton Regional) becomes the seventh Rowan player to earn the conference’s top pitcher award and the third Prof in four seasons to do so. He also earns All-NJAC honors for the second year in a row as he was named to the Second Team in 2023.  

The righthander tops the NJAC with his 3-2 and 0.89 ERA in conference games, while he has also worked a league-high 40.1 innings. He has won his last four starts, going seven or more innings in each, while tossing a complete-game shutout against TCNJ. Overall, he owns a team-best 6-2 record and 2.24 ERA, with 55 strikeouts.  

Cannon (Clayton, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) earns his second selection to the All-NJAC team as he received honorable mention in 2022. The second baseman batted .350 in conference games with a team-high 28 hits, to go along with 17 runs and 18 RBI. The senior is hitting .396 overall with eight home runs, 35 RBI and a team-best 48 runs scored and .660 slugging percentage, while topping Profs with 13 stolen bases. With 16 doubles this year, Cannon is now the Profs’ all-time leader in career doubles a total of 59.  

Defeciani (Congers, NY/Clarkstown North), named to the All-Conference Second Team, earns the distinction for the second time as he was previously named in 2022. The first baseman hit .365 with 18 RBI, 13 runs and three home runs in conference games. Overall, the senior is batting .330 and has driven in 22 runs, scored 19 and hit four homers.  

Morgan (Logan Twp., NJ/Gloucester Catholic), a sophomore left fielder, is a repeat selection as he earned All-NJAC Honorable Mention last year. He hit .333 in conference games with 16 RBI and 18 runs scored, and four stolen bases. Morgan owns a .390 batting average in all games with a .604 slugging percentage, to go along with 33 RBI, 35 runs and four home runs, including Rowan’s only grand slam of the season.  

Maria (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional), the Profs’ designated hitter, drove in 11 runs and scored 15 in conference games, while hitting .333. An All-Conference First Team selection in 2023, Maria tops this year’s team in all games with 12 home runs and 46 RBI, while batting.344 with 39 runs scored. The senior also spent time in the bullpen and made seven appearances this year, going 2-0 and posting one save.  

Serrano (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) is a first-time selection to the All-Conference Team as he recorded a .375 batting average in league games, which ranks seventh in the NJAC. The junior shortstop started 12 conference games and recorded seven RBI and nine runs. Overall, he has played in 23 games, scoring 12 runs and driving in 16, while hitting .311.  

Rowan, ranked #21 in the nation, won its first game in the NJAC Tournament, defeating Kean, 8-6. The Profs will next take on third-seeded Ramapo, on Friday at 7 p.m. as the double-elimination tournament moves to Rutgers-Camden.