NJCU Athletics | May 19, 2020

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior point guard Aaliyah McCrae (Paterson, NJ/Manchester Regional) of the women's basketball team has been named the 2020 recipient of the Dennis N. Goodson Memorial Basketball Award. The NJCU Athletics Department announced the award on day 13 of The 2020 Gothics, during the Gothic Knights' virtual month-long awards series.
 

• Watch the moment Aaliyah McCrae (Paterson, NJ/Manchester Regional) learned she was the 2020 recipient on a Zoom call attended by the men's and women's basketball programs: https://youtu.be/1g01emQHnA8

 
The Dennis N. Goodson Memorial Award is presented annually to a member of the men's or women's basketball programs who best exemplifies  the attributes for which the late Dennis Goodson, a former star point guard for the men's basketball team [1983-87] and member of the 1986 Jersey City State Final Four team was known: team loyalty, dedication to the sport of basketball, competitive spirit on the court, knowledge of the fundamentals of basketball, academic achievement, and demonstration of leadership and sportsmanship.
 
"Aaliyah was the key factor in us getting to the playoffs," said second-year head coach Pat Devaney, Sr. "As a true point guard, she ran the show and put her teammates in position to be successful. She is a true leader who leads by example and vocally. Aaliyah came to work every day and accepted all challenges that came her way. It was evident that she was a force to be reckoned with and showed no signs of fear. I believe she embodies what the Goodson award is all about—perseverance, leadership, hard work and an overall good player and better person."
 


McCrae, a Biochemistry major who is minoring in Psychology, transferred to NJCU this season after a year at CCNY. She becomes the first recipient of the award to have only played one season for one of the Gothic Knight programs. She is the sixth woman to win the award since its inception in 2002-03 and the first women's basketball player since Ashley Vazquez in 2014-15.
 
Named a 2019-20 co-captain midway through the season, she helped lead NJCU to its first New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament appearance since 1989 and contributed to the Gothic Knights' first-ever conference tournament win.
 
Originally the team's backup point guard, McCrae played in all 27 games, starting 19 times, including the final 13 consecutive games beginning on January 20 after NJCU's starter was lost for the season. The 5-foot-1 guard nicknamed 'Tiny' by her teammates played 35 or more minutes in nine of the final 11 games of the season and logged 40 or more minutes in a game four times. For the season, she averaged 27.7 minutes per game and contributed 5.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 assists per game.
 
Most notably, McCrae produced one of the biggest moments of the season on December 14, 2019 when she sank the game-winning free throws with 3.4 seconds left as the Gothic Knights upset defending NJAC champion Rutgers-Newark, 51-50, for the program's first road NJAC win since December 10, 2014 and the first against Rutgers-Newark since February 6, 2010. That win ignited the program which went on to establish a new single-season school record for road conference victories, finishing with a 6-3 ledger in the regular season and 7-4 including the playoffs.
 
The 2020 award marks the first time the Goodson is being bestowed since he and his teammates from the 1986 Final Four team were officially enshrined in the Lawrence R. Schiner NJCU Athletics Hall of Fame on February 28. Goodson died on June 25, 2002 at the age of 36 after complications from a blood clot in his leg caused heart failure. The award was bestowed for the first time in 2003. Born November 2, 1965, Goodson, a 6-foot-2 point guard, was a four-year player, and a starter for former NJCU head coach Charlie Brown on the first of two Jersey City State men's basketball Final Four teams in 1986. The award was originally sponsored by NJCU's Green & Gold Alumni Booster Club.
 
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PAST RECIPIENTS
YEAR	WINNER	SPORT
2002-03	George J. Thomas	Men's Basketball
2003-04	Erin M. Raccioppi	Women's Basketball
2004-05	Erika A. Cubile	Women's Basketball
2005-06	Mark S. Washington	Men's Basketball
2006-07	Ashley (Alex) S. Mirabel	Men's Basketball
2006-07	Latrese N. McNair	Women's Basketball
2007-08	Josh J. Lopez	Men's Basketball
2008-09	None	--
2009-10	Kyle D. Ingram	Men's Basketball
2010-11	Tom J. McDermott	Men's Basketball
2011-12	Maxine M. Kaminski	Women's Basketball
2012-13	Joshua E. Caver	Men's Basketball
2014-15	Drew A. Marley	Men's Basketball
2014-15	Ashley N. Vazquez	Women's Basketball
2015-16	David M. Cole	Men's Basketball
2016-17	Jalen D. Harris	Men's Basketball
2017-18	Jourdan R. Roberson `15	Women's Basketball Coach/Men's Alumni
2018-19	Lavrone M. Green	Men's Basketball
2019-20	Aaliyah N. McCrae	Women's Basketball
Historical Notes:
• Year is for calendar year ending December 31; award is presented following year
• Due to a change in the awards system and a return to the awards banquet in April 2015, there were no awards for the 2013-14 academic year.