PITMAN, N.J. — The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) announced its weekly awards winners for the past week of action today, Monday, March 6, and a quartet of New Jersey City University Gothic Knights picked up honors. Senior outfielder Josh Hernandez (Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista Community) has now won two straight NJAC Baseball Player of the Week awards, while a trio of freshmen were named Rookie of the Week in their respective sports.

Hernandez and the Gothic Knights played just one game last week, a 17-4 romp at Centenary University on Thursday, March 2 in Hackettstown, N.J., and he mashed once again. Hernandez was 4-for-5 with seven runs batted in to go with a triple and a pair of home runs – including his first grand slam of the season and third of his NCAA career – and also drew a walk. He scored four runs, as well, and finished with 12 total bases.

Freshman outfielder Natalie Rosales (Union City, N.J./Jose Marti STEM Academy) was named NJAC Softball Rookie of the Week as she started both season-opening games on Sunday, March 5, in centerfield for NJCU and helped the Gothic Knights to a 1-1 record on the day. She was 2-for-4 with two runs, a double, two RBI and drew three walks. In the five hole, Rosales went 1-for-2 with a run and a one-run double to go with a walk as Jersey City topped Dean College 10-0 in five innings in the morning. Then, again in the five hole, Rosales was 1-for-2 with a run scored and a one-run single, as well as had two walks, in the 8-5 loss to Medaille University in the evening.

First-year setter Alex Casais (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) was named NJAC Men's Volleyball Rookie of the Week as he resumed his primary setter role and dished out 42 assists (8.40/set) over two matches last week, both on Sunday in a tri-match. He added four aces (0.80/set), 11 digs (2.20/set), six total blocks (1.20/set) and a kill. He played two sets in the 3-0 sweep of Yeshiva University to start, dishing out a match-best 20 assists to go with three aces, three digs and a block. Then, in the 3-0 loss to St. Joseph's University-Long Island later in the day, Casais led NJCU with 22 assists to go with five total blocks, a team-best and match-high-tying eight digs, an ace and a kill.

Finally, freshman Sophia Jurina (Munich, Germany/Carl-Spitzweg-Gymnasium) was selected as the Women's Tennis Rookie of the Week as she opened up the season with a 1-1 record in her first match of the Spring against top-flight program New York University in and 8-1 loss on Sunday. She paired with senior Giada Zorzan (Milan, Italy/Liceo dello Sport Marco Pantani) at second doubles and the two earned NJCU's only win of the day, 8-7(2). Jurina then had a strong performance at fifth singles, taking her first set, 6-3. She dropped the second, also 6-3, before falling in a third-set, 10-7, tiebreak.

This is Hernandez' third-career NJAC Player of the Week honor and third of his career. Casais is now a two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week. Jurina and Rosales earn the first Rookie of the Week honors of their careers.

Up Next:
- Hernandez amd the baseball squad are back in action three times this week, at home on Tuesday and Thursday, March 7 and 9, against Moravian University and John Jay College, respectively, before heading out to Wappingers Fall, N.Y., on Friday, March 10, to face Mount Saint Mary College.
- Rosales and the softball team are currently in the midst of play at the FastPitch Dreams Spring Classic down in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.
- Casais and his squad are in action, all at home, two days this week. First the Gothic Knights host a tri-match on Friday as #RV Wentworth Institute of Technology and Misericordia University come to the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC). Then, Ramapo College comes to the JMAC on Saturday, March 11, for a Skyline Conference match.