PITMAN, N.J. – The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) released its award winners for the week of September 20-26, and the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights received a pair of honorees in women's soccer sophomore fowrard Kim Brites (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) and women's volleyball freshman outside hitter Rachael Pharo (Manahawkin, N.J./Southern Regional).

Brites, who was named Women's Soccer Player of the Week for the first time in her collegiate career, was the main offensive force for a Gothic Knights squad that went 2-1 last week, as the sophomore and 2020-21 First Team All-NJAC selection notched 11 points, including five goals and her first-career hat trick. She began on Monday, Sept. 20, by notching game-highs in shots (14) and shots on goal (9) to land the first three-goal day of her career in the 5-2 home victory over the City College of New York. Then, in the Wednesday, Sept. 22, 5-0 win over Brooklyn College at home, Brites led all players once again in shots (16) and shots on goal (6) to finish with a pair of tallies and an assist.

Pharo, who also picked up her first-career NJAC award, had a strong week overall as well, as NJCU was 3-1 this past week, including a 1-1 mark in NJAC play following their historic victory at Ramapo College on Tuesday night, Sept. 21. She finished with 29 kills (2.42/set), six aces (0.50/set) and 37 digs (3.08/set). She began with the strongest match of her young collegiate career, leading all players in kills (career-high 13) and digs (career-high-tying 23) and added a pair of aces and a helper on the road at the Roadrunners, helping the Gothic Knights to their first 1-0 NJAC start since 2009 and first win over Ramapo since 2007. She then picked up six kills, seven digs, one ace and an assist in the tough four-set loss to Rutgers-Newark at home on Thursday night, Sept. 23. She capped off her week with seven kills, three aces, five digs and two assists in the three-set sweep of Maritime College on Saturday, Sept. 25, after playing just one set in the morning match at Lehman College.