Pitman, NJ – Announced on Tuesday afternoon by the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) office, Montclair State University men's basketball senior JACOB MORALES and the coaching staff, led by Justin Potts, earned major conference awards for the Red Hawks. The team also tabbed three players on the All-NJAC Team.
 
Morales was named NJAC Player of the Year and earned First Team All-NJAC honors, while Coach Potts and his staff, consisting of Sean Rossi, Will Bishop, KIERAN FLANAGAN, Matt Milon, and Kris Bergstol, were named the NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year. KABRIEN GOSS was selected to the Second Team All-NJAC, while CRISTIAN NICHOLSON received Honorable Mention recognition.
 
Morales started all 25 games for Montclair this season, averaging 19.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game to go along with 77 assists, 39 steals, and nine blocks. A three-time NJAC Player of the Week selection, he once again ranked among the nation's leaders from beyond the arc. His 85 made three-pointers and 3.40 three-pointers made per game are tied for fifth-best in the nation. He recorded 12 games with 20 or more points, including three games with 30 or more points.
 
Montclair's coaching staff helped guide the program to one of the most successful regular seasons in the nation, finishing with a 24-1 overall record and a 17-1 mark in NJAC play. The team's 24-game winning streak set a program record and tied the NJAC record previously held by the 1988-89 TCNJ squad. The Red Hawks also became the first NJAC program to be ranked No. 1 in the nation during the D3hoops.com Poll era. Montclair was the final undefeated team remaining in Division III men's basketball and, until last Wednesday, one of only three undefeated teams across all NCAA divisions.
 
As a team, the Red Hawks rank first in the nation in total assists (538) and assists per game (21.5), second in three-point percentage (.402) and three-pointers made (325), and are among the top 12 nationally in field goal percentage (.495), scoring offense (92.7 ppg), steals per game (12.1), and scoring margin (15.0).
 
Goss earned his spot on the Second Team after starting all 25 games this season. He averaged 16.1 points per game while totaling 149 assists, 74 rebounds, 43 steals, and one block. An NJAC Player of the Week and D3hoops.com Team of the Week selection, Goss shot .461 from the floor and .430 from three-point range, the 15th-best mark in the nation. His 149 assists and 6.0 assists per game rank 12th in Division III and third in single-season program history.
 
Nicholson made an immediate impact as a freshman, starting all 25 games this season. The Mine Hill native averaged 11.4 points per game and recorded 109 assists, 70 rebounds, 47 steals, and five blocks. His 47 steals and 1.9 steals per game ranked fourth in the NJAC this season. Nicholson also led all conference rookies with seven NJAC Rookie of the Week honors, including five in a seven-week span — the third-best total in program history.
 
Morales earns back-to-back First Team All-NJAC honors since transferring prior to last season, along with his first major conference award. Potts and his staff collect their second consecutive NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year honor, while Goss earns his first All-NJAC selection after being named NJAC Rookie of the Year last season.
 
Top-seeded Montclair will begin its postseason run in the NJAC Semifinals on Wednesday, February 25, welcoming Rowan for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off from the Panzer Athletic Center.