PITMAN, N.J. (11/10/10) - Junior Olivia Triano has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Field Hockey Midfielder of the Year, as voted on by the league's seven head coaches and announced on Wednesday morning.In addition, Triano and senior back Joelle Vitale were both named NJAC first-team all-stars for the second straight season after helping the Cougars to a 3-3 conference record.

Triano earns the program's first major conference honor since Cheryl Perone was named NJAC Rookie of the Year in 1998 and is the first NJAC Midfielder of the Year in school history. A three-year starter, Triano scored three goals and had three assists in the six conference games. Her nine points (1.50 ppg) and three assists (0.5 apg) were tied for fourth in the NJAC.

The junior has 35 career goals and 21 career assists to rank tied for third in both categories at Kean, while her 91 career points leave her just six points shy of moving into second place in school history.

A four-year starter and three-time NJAC all-star, Vitale has anchored a Kean defense that posted two shutouts in NJAC play this season. Vitale made two of the team's three defensive saves in conference action, ranking her tied for third in the NJAC.

Vitale has started all 68 games she has played in throughout her career, making eight defensive saves.

The Cougars finished the regular season 10-6 and earned a berth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Mid-Atlantic Championships. The fifth-seeded Cougars face-off against fourth-seeded SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday afternoon.