New Jersey City University Athletics

Fast Facts: One of five defenders on the 2004 team with significant starting experience…Blackburn was a Second-Team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference choice in 2002, but missed last season while concentrating on academics…At 6-foot-2, 189 pounds, he is a strong, tough defender who is difficult to beat one-on-one…Has the rare ability to reach the penalty area with a throw-in…One of fastest players in the NJCU lineup…Provides a lot of speed in the backfield…Has a lot of pride in not being beaten as a defender…Has started last 15 games he was active for…Has recorded two goals, 11 assists, and 15 points in career.

2003: Did not play while concentrating on academics.

2002: Selected Second-Team All-NJAC, contributing to eight shutouts…Scored two goals and four assists for eight points, including a game-winner…Ranked sixth on the team in scoring out of the backfield…Played in 19 of NJCU’s 20 games, with 18 starts…Ranked second on the team in minutes with 1613 of 1832…17 shots (seven SOG)…Started final 15 games of the year…Played in every minute of 13 of the clubs’ 20 games…(08/31): His first collegiate goal proved to be the game-winner in a 3-0 tournament win over Marymount University…(09/07): Had an assist courtesy of one of his long throw-ins that tied the game before NJCU lost to North Carolina-Wesleyan at the NCWC FalClassic…(09/08): Missed only game of the year in win over Ferrum…(09/11): Had an assist in a 4-0 win over John Jay College in the only game he played, but did not start…(09/18): Made what was a key team save by heading a ball out of the goalmouth in a 1-0 loss at Richard Stockton College…(10/21): Registered a pair of assists, including contributing to the game-winner off a long throw-in during a 9-0 rout of Medgar Evers College…(10/27): Scored an unassisted goal in a loss to #4 ranked Rowan University.

2001: Played 23 of possible 24 games, with 22 starts…Notched five assists and five points out of the backfield…Averaged 0.22 assists per game…Ranked third on team with 2147 of 2224 minutes…Played every minute of 16 of NJCU’s 24 games…Was a key member of a suffocating NJCU defense that allowed just 1.05 goals per game, fifth in the NJAC, and posted seven shutouts…Tallied 19 shots (seven SOG)…Had assists in three straight games in September…Defense helped forge three straight shutouts from October 3-8 in win over Baruch College, The College of New Jersey, and William Paterson University…(09/05): Took three shots and had one assist in NJCU’s 7-0 blowout of John Jay…(09/08): Contributed an assist on the eventual game-winning goal as NJCU downed Western Connecticut, 2-1, in the Fighting Cougar Classic at Kean University…(09/09) Followed the next day with a career high two assists as NJCU bombed Hunter, 9-0…(09/26): Tied season-high with three shots—all on goal—in 2-1 win at Ramapo College…(10/11): Did not play in 3-1 at Mount St. Mary College and had  string of 12 straight starts snapped…(11/04): Did not start in 11-0 win over Polytechnic University—his only non-start in which he played all season—but tallied an assist off the bench that helped NJCU build a 5-0 halftime lead.

2000: Saw work in 21 games of NJCU’s 22 games on defense with 19 starts, collecting two assists…Attempted five shots…Started all eight NJAC games…Played in front of All-NJAC keeper Jeff East and was a key element of a defense that allowed only 1.01 games per game and established a single-season school record 10 shutouts…(09/13): Had first career assist in 3-0 win over Centenary College…(09/30): Added an assist in 2-0 victory over Rutgers-Newark…(10/4): Did not play at The College of New Jersey; only games missed.

High School: Graduated Montclair High School in June 2000 tied for the school record for career assists…Was named to the 1999 North Jersey Section II Second-Team All-State team at Montclair by the New Jersey Soccer Coaches Association and Sports in the Garden State.com…played four years under head coach Jack Weber on the powerhouse Montclair teams and was listed on an All-State team for three years…Mounties won Essex County Championship in boys soccer all four years of Blackburn’s career and the NNJIL title in 1997 when he was a sophomore…participated in two seasons of track & field under coach Ray Spivey…a June 2000 graduate of Montclair.

Personal: Born in East Orange, NJ on April 4, 1982…Full name is Jose Ricardo Blackburn … parents are Janis and Jose Blackburn…Is an only child…Declared major at NJCU is Business Administration-Sports Management…Has completed 90 credits towards a degree at NJCU entering the season…Right-footed.

Sports Team:                                     New York Knicks

Movie:                                                  Friday