ATHLETICS

Montclair State University participates in 24 varsity sports that compete on the intercollegiate level.  The university’s teams compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level and are members of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).

In the spring of 2000, the MSU baseball team captured its third NCAA Division III national championship becoming the third school in Division III history to win three titles.  It was a season that included a record 42 victories and 17-1 first-place finish in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.  Senior pitcher Greg Belson, named a First-Team All-American, was chosen in the 30^th round of the Major League Baseball Draft and signed a professional contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Head coach Norm Schoenig was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division III National Coach of the Year.

The wrestling team added to their national success finishing third at the NCAA Division III National Championships.  The Red Hawks increased their record total of individual champions to 25 as Florian Ghinea and Dominic Dellagatta won crowns at 141 and 165 pounds, respectively.  The team also won the Metropolitan conference for the second straight year.

The MSU football team captured its 15^th New Jersey Athletic Conference championship and qualified for the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the fifth time.  Montclair advanced to the quarterfinals winning two games in the playoffs for the first time in history.

Men’s basketball compiled a 20-win season for the first time since 1984.  The Red Hawks went on to capture the ECAC Championship for the first time as Mike Bult’s 70-foot desperation shot at the end of the regulation went in, forcing overtime in the title game.  Montclair defeated Richard Stockton for the title. 

Softball captured its first-ever ECAC Championship finishing the season at 31-10.  Senior Tara Wisz was named All-American for the fourth time in her career.

Women’s soccer and women’s volleyball made their first-ever post-season trips as each qualified for the ECAC Championships.

Fifteen athletes earned All-American honors during the 1999-2000 year and four coaches were named Conference Coach of the Year: Rick Giancola, Football; Steve Strellner, Wrestling; Ted Fiore, Men’s Basketball; Norm Schoenig, Baseball.

Track athlete Janice Brenner, an All-American in both Indoor and Outdoor Track, was the recipient of the NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship, the first time an MSU athlete has earned the accolade.

The University sponsors the following sports: