PITMAN, N.J. — After posting her first career double-double, a career high in steals and the first win for the New Jersey City University women's basketball team in the 2021-22 season, sophomore guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) took home the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Player of the Week accolades for their inaugural week of the season, the conference announced today, Monday, Nov. 15.

Rodriguez loaded up the stat sheet in NJCU's one and only game last week, the Gothic Knights' season-opening 97-31 home victory over St. Elizabeth University on Thursday night, Nov. 11. The sophomore finished with 19 points, a game-high 16 steals, a game-best nine assists and seven rebounds, just one dime off a triple-double and quite close to a quadruple-double.

The double-double was the first of her already-stellar career, the nine helpers ties her career high – as does the seven boards – and the career-best 16 steals sets a program record, and is just four off the all-time Division III mark, which dates back to the 1992-93 season when the NCAA began tracking steals in women's basketball.

This is the second time the Gothic Knight guard has earned NJAC Player of the Week honors in her career after earning it once last season. The squad will return to action on Thursday night, Nov. 18, at John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC) to take on the Rosemont College Ravens.