Montclair, NJ (6/3/09) – Men's Soccer All-American Owen Amster (Somerville, NJ / Somerville) was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Male Athlete of the Year as the conference held its 10th Annual Awards Brunch on Sunday, May 31 in Princeton, NJ.

Amster, one of six Red Hawk student-athletes to be honors at the banquet, became the fourth consecutive MSU athlete to win one of the league's top awards and the eighth overall. Amster was chosen as the Montclair State Sam Mills Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year winner in early May.

Amster was named First-Team All-America by the NSCAA this past season as he led the MSU men's soccer team to its third NJAC championship and a sparkling 21-1 record. Selected as the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year, Amster anchored a Red Hawk defense that allowed just eight goals in 22 games and held its opponents to just 120 shots.

A starter all 22 games, Amster, the team captain, was First-Team NSCAA Metro All-Region pick, and helped the Red Hawks to an undefeated mark in the league during the regular season and 11-0 overall record for the second time in three years. Montclair State achieved a program-best No. 3 ranking by the NSCAA during the year and finished in the Top 10 for the third straight season.

In addition to his exploit on the field, Amster was also a solid member of the MSU community participating in several events, including TALON's Holiday Toy Drive and Thanksgiving Food Drive as well as the men's soccer team's participation in Lainie’ Angels Kicks for Kids with Cancer & Blood Disorders.

Also honored at the brunch were the Red Hawk men's and women's basketball teams, who each captured their respective NJAC North Division championships this past season. Senior linebacker Cornell Hunt and basketball junior Kisandra Ayanbeku were honored with the Defensive Player of the Year accolades while three student-athletes - football's Ron Litz and Marco Capozzoli and field hockey junior Rebecca Dobiesz - were lauded for their place on the NJAC All-Academic Team.