Complete list of All-Americans
GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University honored its All-Americans, Academic All-Americans and special award winners at an end of the year banquet on Sunday, May 6 at the University’s Eynon Ballroom.
The special award winners were football linebacker Dean Hammel, the Richard Wackar Athletic Award; cross country/track runner Jena Peacock, the Dr. Shirley O’Day Athletic Award; baseball second baseman Brandon Winkler, the Dr. Michael Briglia Scholar-Athlete Award; softball catcher Nicolina Veneziano, the Dr. Mary A. Rice Scholar-Athlete Award; men’s soccer forward Ryan Gordon, women’s lacrosse midfielder Michelle Lubrano and softball second baseman Nicole Escudero, the Joy Solomen Leadership Award. Sid Holzer was given the Distinguished Service Award, while Tony Crooks and Ester Mummert received the Prof Pride Awards. Men’s cross country/ track runner Stephen Hoffman and women’s cross country/track runner Joy Hanke both received the Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete Award.
The Wackar Award is given to a junior or senior male athlete who has participated in two years of varsity sports and has demonstrated outstanding athletic achievement, leadership and attitude. A team captain, Hammel (sr. Sewell, NJ/Washington Twp.) led the football team with 103 tackles (32 solo, 71 assisted) and five fumble recoveries. He posted five tackles for a loss (-17 yards), 1.5 sacks (-10 yards), six passes defended and one interception. Hammel tied for first in the NCAA Division III in fumble recoveries and was 42nd in tackles.
Hammel was named to the NJAC All-Conference first team and D3football.com All-East Region second team. He was chosen the Dr. Warren J. McClain Memorial Touchdown Club of Southern New Jersey Rowan University and Adam Taliaferro Foundation Player of the Year. Hammel is majoring in psychology.
The Dr. Shirley O’Day Award is given to a senior female athlete who has participated in three years of varsity sports and has demonstrated leadership, cooperation, good attitude and a fine academic standing. A captain in both cross country and track, Peacock (sr. Williamstown, NJ/Our Lady of Mercy Academy) is a three-time All-American. She finished 18th (21:34.2) and 19th (21:27.31) at the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships respectively. Peacock earned All-America honors as part of the distance medley relay that captured seventh place (11:55.14) at the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships. She is a member of the University’s record holding 4x800 meter (9:26.87) and distance medley (11:49.15) relays in indoor track. For outdoor track and field, Peacock holds the school mark in the 3000 meter steeplechase (10.39.70) and is on the top 4x800 meter (9:24.84) and distance medley (12:00.85) relays.
In cross country, Peacock is a four-time NJAC All-Conference first team honoree. She was named the conference’s Runner of the Year in 2010 and 2009 and was chosen the Rookie of the Year in 2008. Peacock received NCAA All-Region honors three times and ran at the NCAA Division III Championships in 2011, 2010 and 2009. She collected 2011 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III All-Academic Cross Country Team honors. Peacock was on the 2010 NJAC All-Academic second team and earned All-Academic honorable mention in 2009.
Peacock has competed at the national championships three times in track, twice indoor and once outdoor. She placed ninth (17:35.13) and 12th (18:01.89) in the 5000 meters at the 2012 and 2011 NCAA Indoor Track Championships respectively. Peacock took 16th in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2011 outdoor national championships. In indoor track, she garnered NJAC All-Conference first team honors in the one mile and on the 4x800 meter relay in 2012. Peacock received All-Conference second team honors in the one mile in 2011 and 2010, while earning honorable mention on the 4x800 meter relay in 2011. She was on the NJAC Outdoor Track & Field All-Conference first team in the 3000 meter steeplechase twice (2011 and 2010) and second team once (2009). Peacock was named to the 2011 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area and USTFCCCA All-Academic Teams. She has a 3.39 GPA in elementary education/English.
The Briglia Award is presented to a senior male athlete who has participated in two years of varsity sports, has a GPA of at least 3.0 and possesses skill, attitude and dedication to athletics. A team captain, Winkler (sr. Glendora, NJ/Paul VI) is batting .3.59 with 47 hits in 131 at bats. He leads the Profs with 37 runs scored and a .494 on-base percentage. Winkler has compiled 15 RBIs, five doubles and one home run. He has a .975 fielding percentage. This season, he was selected to the NJAC All-Conference and Capital One/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District II first teams. In 2011, Winkler was named to the New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Coaches Association Division II/III All-State third team. He earned Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District II second team and Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team honors. Winkler was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. He was a NJAC All-Academic second team selection. An accounting major, Winkler has a 3.76 GPA.
The Dr. Mary Rice Award is presented to a senior female athlete with two years of varsity experience and a GPA over 3.0. The recipient must possess excellence in skills, attitude and dedication. Veneziano (sr. Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) is batting .341 with 37 RBIs and a team-high 36 runs scored. She has nine doubles, three triples and six home runs. Veneziano has compiled a .597 slugging percentage, .462 on-base percentage and a .988 fielding percentage. She holds the school record with 24 career homers. She was chosen to the NJAC All-Conference and Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District II first teams.
In 2011, Veneziano was named the NJAC Co-Player of the Year and to the All-Conference first team. She was selected to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) East All-Region first team and All-America third team. Veneziano collected Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District II first team and Academic All-America third team honors. She was chosen the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Performer of the Year and to the Academic All-Area Team.
Veneziano garnered NJAC and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Player of the Year honors in 2010. She was picked for the NJAC All-Conference, NFCA East All-Region and ECAC Metro All-Star first teams. As a freshman, she received NJAC and ECAC Metro Rookie of the Year honors. She was a member of the NFCA East All-Region second team and ECAC All-Star first team. Veneziano was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. She is a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and NJAC All-Academic honorable mention. A Rowan Scholar-Athlete, Veneziano has a 3.758 GPA in health and exercise science.
This is the first year for the Joy Solomen Award. It is given to one male and one female student-athlete. The recipients must be in their third or fourth season with a 3.0 GPA or higher. The honorees have to show strong leadership qualities and a dedication and passion to Rowan athletics. A team captain, Gordon (jr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) totaled six points with two goals and two assists. He earned NJAC All-Conference honorable mention. Gordon was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. In 2010, he was named to the NJAC All-Conference second team and received All-Academic honorable mention. A Rowan Scholar-Athlete, Gordon is majoring in chemical engineering with a 3.607 GPA.
Lubrano (sr. Delanco, NJ/Holy Cross) and Escudero (jr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) tied for the female award. A captain, Lubrano led the women’s lacrosse team with 80 points on 70 goals and 10 assists. She broke the University’s single season goals record, which was previously 68. Lubrano was first on the team with 89 draw controls, 40 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers. In 2011, Lubrano garnered NJAC All-Conference first team honors. She was chosen to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Boardwalk All-Region first team and All-America third team. Lubrano was selected to the USA College Lacrosse Division III All-America second team and womenslacrosse.com Division III All-America third team. She earned Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team and IWLCA Academic Honor Roll. Lubrano was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. She is a two-time NJAC All-Academic honorable mention. A Rowan Scholar-Athlete, she has a 3.534 GPA in health and exercise science.
Escudero is batting .339 with 32 runs scored, 19 RBIs, 10 doubles, one triple and one home run. She has a .470 slugging percentage, .462 on-base percentage and a .929 fielding percentage. Escudero was chosen to the NJAC All-Conference second team. She is a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. Escudero received NJAC All-Academic honorable mention in 2011. A Rowan Scholar-Athlete, she is majoring in health and exercise science with a 3.883 GPA.
The Distinguished Service Award is given in recognition and appreciation of outstanding contributions and support of the student-athletes and athletic department at Rowan University. Holzer is an accountant in the University’s Bursar’s Office.
The Prof Pride Award is chosen by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is presented to a non student-athlete that provides support for all of Rowan University athletics. Crooks works in the University’s food services department. Mummert serves as the Academic Advisement Coordinator in the College of Communication. Both Crooks and Mummert attend many athletic events.
The Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete Award is given to the male and female athlete with the highest GPA. The athlete must have completed four semesters of college and be an active contributor on a varsity team. Hoffman (sr. Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City) is a captain for the men’s cross country and track and field teams. This season, he was selected to the Philadelphia Inquirer Cross Country Academic All-Area Team. In indoor track, Hoffman earned NJAC All-Conference first team honors on the distance medley relay (10:33.09). At the 2011 conference indoor championships, he received NJAC All-Conference honorable mention on the 4x800 meter (8:21.71) and distance medley (10:55.42) relays. Hoffman is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society. He is a two-time NJAC All-Academic honorable mention. A Rowan Scholar-Athlete, Hoffman has a 3.99 GPA in entrepreneurship and marketing.
In cross country, Hanke (jr. Cranford, NJ/Cranford) is a three-time NJAC All-Conference second team selection. This season, she ran at the NCAA Division III Championships. Hanke was named to the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team. She was chosen the 2009 NJAC Rookie of the Year. At the 2010 NJAC Outdoor Track and field championships, Hanke placed third in the 10,000 meters with a time of 41:34.67 for All-Conference honorable mention. She was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society and is a Rowan Scholar-Athlete. Hanke is an elementary education/math and science major with a 3.978 GPA.
