PITMAN, N.J. — The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) announced its weekly award winners today, Monday, Feb. 14, and the New Jersey City University Gothic Knights saw two of its own earn recognition. Sophomore co-captain and NJCU women's basketball guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) was named NJAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week, while Jersey City men's volleyball junior co-captain middle-blocker Brandon DaSilva (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) was named Men's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week.

Rodriguez led her Gothic Knights to a 2-0 record this week with huge wins over Rowan University and Montclair State University. She averaged a near-triple-double over the two games, averaging 37.7 minutes per game. She scored 19.0 points per game to go with 9.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game and currently ranks second nationally in all of Division III with 7.2 assists per game on the season. She began with a game-high 23 points to go with a game-best 11 assists and a team-high nine rebounds for a near-triple-double and her sixth double-double of the season in the 73-59 win over Rowan at home on Wednesday, Feb. 9. Then, in the first win at Montclair State since 1970 on Saturday, Feb. 12, Rodriguez recorded her third-consecutive double-double and seventh of the year with 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with five dimes and two steals over the full 40 minutes in the 59-55 win at the Red Hawks.

DaSilva hosted a block party this past week as the Gothic Knights went 1-1, including a strong performance against #7 Rutgers-Newark and the first win over Kean University in program history. The junior finished with a team-high 11 total blocks (1.83/set) to go with 14 kills (2.33/set) and five digs (0.83/set). He began with five kills on 12 swings with just one error (.333 hitting percentage) in the tough three-set loss on Tuesday, Feb. 8, at Rutgers-Newark, adding three digs and a match-high five total blocks. Then, in the monumental three-set sweep of the Cougars on Thursday, Feb. 10, DaSilva once again hit .333, notching nine kills on 18 swings with three errors to go with two digs and a match-best six total blocks.

The honor give Rodriguez her third-career Player of the Week award, in addition to the four Rookie of the Week accolades she picked up last season. For DaSilva, he now has two NJAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. He was also selected to the Skyline Conference's Weekly Honor Roll.

Rodriguez and company are back in action tonight for a 6:00 p.m. clash with nationally ranked #11 Amherst College in Amherst, Mass. DaSilva and the men's volleyball squad return to the court tonight as well for a 7:00 p.m. match at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown, N.J.