Stockton's 50 Greatest Moments, Part 5

Stockton Athletics has a rich history that dates back practically to the inception of Stockton University. Osprey teams and student-athletes have achieved success at the highest levels of NCAA Division III, winning national championships and earning All-American honors. Thousands of student-athletes have worn a Stockton uniform as the intercollegiate athletics program has grown to its current plateau of 19 sports.

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Stockton University, Stockton Athletics has chosen its 50 greatest moments. Here is part five, with the events listed chronologically.

2016 - Women’s Cross Country wins the program’s first NJAC Championship

Five Ospreys finished in the top 11 spots, led by runner-up Cassandra Hrusko and Alicia Belko in third place as Stockton became the program’s first squad, male or female, to win the NJAC cross country championship. Stockton’s title ended a 35-year run during which every NJAC crown was won by either The College of New Jersey or Rowan University. 

2016 - Cassandra Hrusko & Alicia Belko become the first two Stockton female runners to qualify for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships

Two weeks after leading Stockton Women’s Cross Country to its first NJAC championship, Hrusko finished 12th and Belko placed 14th at the NCAA Atlantic Regional meet. The teammates became the first two Stockton females to earn berths in the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. Hrusko placed 95th and Belko was 110th out of 280 runners at the NCAA meet.

2017 - Men’s Basketball wins the program’s first ECAC Championship

The Ospreys won four straight games in a five-day span to capture the program’s first ECAC regional championship. Under first-year head coach Scott Bittner, Stockton defeated Baruch College 79-74, Carnegie Mellon 84-74, Bethany College 83-63 and finally Penn State Behrend 74-72 in the ECAC title game.

2017 - Women’s Outdoor Track & Field wins the program’s first NJAC Championship

The Ospreys won eight events, led by Emily Higbee and Alicia Belko with two wins apiece, to capture the first NJAC championship ever by a Stockton track & field team. Stockton became the first team other than The College of New Jersey and Rowan University to win the NJAC title in the conference’s 35-year history.

2017 - Jared Lewis wins the NCAA National Championship in the Indoor Triple Jump

Lewis won the first of his two NCAA championships with a jump of 15.05m (49’4.5”) that topped the runner-up by more than a foot. Lewis gave Stockton its first NCAA individual champion since Paul Klemic in 2006 and tied the school record with his sixth All-American honor.

2018 - Women’s Lacrosse wins the program’s first ECAC Championship

The Ospreys defeated Marymount (Va.) 17-10 and Marywood 11-7 in games played at the Stockton Turf Field to capture the ECAC regional championship in the program’s fifth season as an intercollegiate sport. Tamara Torales scored a team-high three goals in the championship game and was selected ECAC Tournament MVP.

2018 - Jared Lewis wins the NCAA National Championship in the Indoor Triple Jump

Lewis successfully defended his NCAA crown with a jump of 15.28 meters (50’1.75”) to edge the runner-up by just one centimeter and capture his second consecutive indoor triple jump title. With the win, Lewis earned the eighth of his school-record nine All-American accolades and became Stockton’s fourth two-time NCAA champion.

2018 - Field Hockey wins the program’s first ECAC Championship

The Ospreys blanked Marywood and Juniata each 1-0 before claiming their first ECAC regional championship with a 2-1 triumph over Arcadia on a goal by Britney Stein in sudden-death overtime. With the victory, Stockton set a school record with 15 wins on the season. Casey Cordonna was chosen ECAC Tournament MVP.

2019 - Men’s Lacrosse wins the program’s first Conference Championship and earns its first NCAA Tournament berth and first NCAA Tournament victory

The Ospreys won the CSAC championship and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a 14-11 victory over Montclair State. In its first NCAA Tournament game ever, Stockton defeated Morrisville State 20-9 in the first round before finishing the season with a school-record 18 wins.

2021 - Women’s Rowing wins the program’s first gold medal in the Varsity Eight at the Dad Vail Regatta

The Ospreys won the Division III Final by eight seconds with a time of 7:07.660 to finish ahead of Marietta, Franklin & Marshall and Washington College (Md.). The gold medal was the first-ever by a Stockton varsity eight at the Dad Vail, which is the largest collegiate regatta in North America, and with its 82-year history, one of the oldest and most prestigious rowing events in the country.