May 11, 2007

NEWARK, NJ - New Jersey Institute of Technology recognized the contributions and accomplishments of 250 student-athletes on its 19 varsity teams for 2006-07 at the annual athletic awards banquet on Wednesday, May 2, on campus at the Campus Center Atrium.

The night was capped with the announcements of the 2006-07 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, as well as the Male and Female Newcomers of the Year. Senior baseball player Kwesi Mitchell and junior volleyball player Leonardo Paludo shared honors as Male Athlete of the Year, while tennis player Iulia Doci, who was named Female Newcomer of the Year in 2005-06, was named Female Player of the Year for 2006-07. Sophomore transfer basketball player Nesho Milosevic was tabbed Male Newcomer of the Year and freshman volleyball player Kristy Haeckel was named Female Newcomer of the Year.

Male Players of the Year: Kwesi Mitchell & Leonardo Paludo
Kwesi Mitchell, who returned after a year away, is having one of the best seasons in school history. Mitchell was a .350 career hitter in three seasons before this year. This year he leads the team with a .368 batting average, 11 homeruns (one shy of the season school record) and 36 RBI (six shy of the single-season school record). Mitchell has also hit safely in 29 of 32 games.

Leonardo Paludo, a Brazilian native from Balnéario Camboriú, Brazil, was one of the Highlanders offensive threats this year. He was named to the EIVA All-East second team and was named to the EIVA All-Academic team. He is ranked nationally in three categories--13th in kills per game with (4.38), 14th in services aces with 35 and 18th in digs with 2.16. He was named to the EIVA Hay Division Player of the Week four times this season, completing his junior season with 407 kills, which was fifth in the conference. He posted a career-high 37 kills against East Stroudsburg on March 6, the most in a match for NJIT over the last two seasons. His 37 kills in five matches' ties him for second with Paul Carroll from Pepperdine in the 30-Kill Club in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Female Player of the Year: Iulia Doci
Iulia Doci had one of the most impressive individual wins by a Highlander woman this year when she defeated Rhode Island's senior Lara Maurer, who came into the match with a 22-1 at first singles for URI. Maurer was previously the #2 player at Kentucky, which was the 17th-ranked team in the country and she was 2nd-team all-Southeastern Conference. Doci finished out the 2006-07 season with a 16-6 overall record at first singles while winning nine matches at first doubles. With two more years left to compete at the Division I level, she has compiled at 35-8 career record.