For Starters:                
NJCU plays its final home game of the season today with rival Montclair State. The Red Hawks have won the last six meetings.
 
Senior Day 2015:                     
On the date of the final home game of 2015, NJCU honors its lone senior, libero/outside hitter Valerie Ballestas. A three-year letterwinner, Ballestas is an Early Childhood Education major for NJCU with a minor in English who has played in 78 matches and 204 sets for NJCU, primarily on defense. She has reached double figures in digs eight times in her career including six times this season. A two-time Honorable Mention Academic All-NJAC recipient in 2014 and 2015, after graduation she plans to attend graduate school and teach high school in her hometown. A two-time Dean's List honoree, outside of athletics she is a student ambassador, an assistant to the Transfer Evaluator at the Transfer Resource Center and is a member of the Sword and Shield Leadership Society and TRiO TLC. She was chosen to represent students/student athletes at the American Student Government Association Conference in Washington D.C.
  
Academic Nominees:              
Sophomore setter Rachel McIntyre with a 3.74 GPA in Criminal Justice and Psychology (English and Journalism minors) and junior middle Elyssa Magee with a 3.89 GPA in Psychology (Criminal Justice minor) are both nominees for the 2015 Academic All-District team. Winners will be announced in early November.
 
#GothicRewind—NJCU Split Tri-Match:
On Thursday, October 22 NJCU bounced back from a first set loss to convincingly take the next three sets as the Gothic Knights upended Delaware Valley University, 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-17) in a non-conference match in Doylestown, Pa.  It was NJCU's first win over the Aggies in five meetings. Shege Haxhaj produced a .400 attack percentage and unleashed 11 kills (11-3-20) with three blocks and two aces. Haxhaj reached double figures in kills for the 16th time in her career in the win and fourth time this year. Rachel McIntyre, who entered the week 28th in Division III in aces per set, uncorked four more aces and distributed 28 assists with five kills. Georgina Rayo defended a match-best 13 digs.
 
The Rooks!:
Georgina Rayo was the NJAC Rookie of the Week in weeks 1 and 2 of the season on September 8 and 15 while Amber O'Donnell took home week 5 honors on October 5. Meanwhile, Ayleen Pittar, who joined the program on October 9, is putting up sensational freshman numbers.
 
Red Hawk Happenings:

• At 5-2 in the NJAC, the Red Hawks are in the driver seat for the No. 2 seed and a first round bye in the 6-team NJAC Tournament which begins on November 3. MSU and Ramapo are both 5-2 overall behind unbeaten Stockton (7-0). MSU defeated Ramapo in Montclair on September 29, 3-1 (25-14, 25-21, 15-25, 25-22). Therefore, with a win tonight or a loss and a Stockton win over Ramapo, MSU will be the second seed. Interesting enough, if Ramapo loses at Stockton, the Roadrunners will fall from second to fourth place, with losses against the other top three teams in the standings (including Rowan).
• Courtney Matlock was named the NJAC Player of the Week on September 15 (week 2). She is fourth in the league in kills per set (3.11).
• Lily Scanzillo was chosen NJAC Defensive Player of the Week in week five (October 6).
• Montclair and NJCU are tied with three NJAC Rookie of the Week choices in the first seven weeks. Ashley Griffith was the week four winner (September 29) while Natalia Majkut has been honored in back-to-back weeks.
• Kimberly Matlock leads the NJAC in assists at 9.85 pet set. She has 768 on the season.
• Madison Maute is fifth in the conference in hitting percentage (.281).