Beyruti Earns NJAC's Top Honor
Beyruti Earns NJAC Top Honor
PRINCETON, N.J. (6/6/10) – Senior guard Melissa Beyruti was honored as the 2009-10 New Jersey Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Year at the 11th Annual NJAC Awards Brunch held at the Hyatt Regency on Sunday, June 6.
William Paterson University senior forward Abdoulaye Ouedraogo of the Pioneer men’s basketball team was honored as the 2009-10 NJAC Male Athlete of the Year, as the two awards are selected annually by a vote of the conference’s 20-member Board of Athletic Administrators.
A four-time NJAC all-star and the 2009-10 NJAC Player of the Year for women’s basketball, Beyruti becomes the first female athlete in school history to be honored with the NJAC’s top honor after closing out her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,974 career points. Fred Guiran is the only other athlete in school history to earn the award, as the men's soccer player picked up the honor in 1991-92.
The NCAA all-time leader in three-point field goals made (397), Beyruti also concluded her career tied for first in all-time games played in Division III (128) this season after receiving a medical hardship waiver for an injury in the eighth game of the 2008-09 season.
Beyruti has earned a total of 11 postseason accolades following her illustrious career, including being named to the 10-member NCAA Division III State Farm Coaches’ All-American team for the second time in career, while also earning Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro Region Player of the Year honors.
In addition, she was tabbed a first-team all-american by Women’s DIII News and a second-team all-american by D3hoops.com, while also earning NJAC, ECAC Metro Region, D3hoops.com Atlantic Region and All-MET Division III first-team honors.
Beyruti, who was also injured in the NJAC Championship Game against William Paterson University on February 28, missed the first two games of the NCAA tournament before being forced to play a limited role in the NCAA sectionals as a result of a torn ACL.
Kean had a total of nine student-athletes and three teams honored at the NJAC awards brunch, including the conference champion baseball, softball and women’s basketball teams.
Baseball Player of the
Year
Nick Nolan
Women’s Basketball
Player of the Year & NJAC Athlete of the Year
Melissa Beyruti
Women’s Basketball
Defensive Player of the Year
Tiffany Patrick
Women’s Basketball
Rookie of the Year
Naimah Clemons
Football Offensive Player of
the Year
Jared Chunn
Women’s Soccer Rookie
of the Year
Carly Seidel
Women’s Tennis Rookie
of the Year
Lauren Petrucelli
NJAC Second-Team
All-Academic
TJ Denehy
Melissa Dietrich
NJAC Team Champions
Baseball
Softball
Women’s Basketball
NJAC First-Team
All-Academic
(not present at awards brunch)
Vinnie Darpino
Sarah Lyon
