May 4, 2006

NEWARK, NJ - New Jersey Institute of Technology recognized the contributions and accomplishments of 200 student-athletes on its 15 varsity teams for 2005-06 at the annual athletic awards banquet Wednesday night on campus.

The night was capped with the announcements of the 2005-06 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, as well as the Male and Female Newcomers of the Year. The Male Athlete of the Year was junior basketball player Clayton Barker, while record-setting senior swimmer Ana Ossa was honored as the school's Female Athlete of the Year for the third time in as many years. Tennis player Iulia Doci was the Female Newcomer of the Year, while runner Umar Saeed and baseball player Craig Binkiewicz shared Male Newcomer of the Year laurels.

Male Newcomers of the Year - Craig Binkiewicz & Umar Saeed
Binkiewicz leads the CACC and ranks 14th nationally in batting average, currently .441. He has hit safely in 26 of the 30 games he has played and he reached base in three of the four games in which he didn't get a hit. Has scored 28 runs and driven in 14. The speedy outfielder leads the team with 5 triples and 18 steals.

Saeed finished as the Runner of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, winning the CACC championship race by almost 47 seconds over the defending champ. He earned all-East recognition for his 24th-place finish at the IC4A race, open to all NCAA Divisions, in November. During the regular season, he finished first in six straight races during the season and was CACC Runner of the Week three times.

Female Newcomer of the Year - Iulia Doci
Doci posted a 19-2 record at first singles in match competition and also won the CACC individual championship, as well Rookie of the Year. Teaming with four different partners, her record at first doubles was 18-3.

She was a semifinalist in the ITA "A" singles and was third the final ITA Fall Northeast regional rankings. She also teamed with Chiori Koike to rank fourth in the region in doubles.