Ewing, NJ...The upcoming season at The College of New Jersey will mark the 25th anniversary of one of the most successful years in the institution's impressive athletic history as the Lions won three national championships during the 1986-87 campaign.

The College won titles in wrestling, softball, and women's lacrosse, while also boasting an individual champion in women's outdoor track and field. In all, 11 programs participated in NCAA post-season action and as a whole; the College compiled an impressive win-lost record of 257-68-5.

The first team to capture title was the wrestling team led by head coach David Icenhower as they dominated the field racking up 107.5 team points with SUNY Brockport a distant second with 70.75 points. The College crowned three individual champions at the tournament with three others garnering All-American honors. In all, 10 wrestlers qualified for the tournament held in Buffalo, NY. Claiming individual championships were Tim Jacoutot (Old Bridge, NJ/Madison) at 118 pounds, Greg MacDonald (North Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May Regional) at 177, and Vic Pozsonyi (Roselle Park, NJ/Roselle Park) at 190. Those three champions remain tied for the most in program history during one season.

Adding to the team's success and earning All-American citations were Ralph Venuto (Blackwood, NJ/Paul VI) at 134 and Dwayne Standridge (Mine Hill, NJ/Dover) at 158 as both were runners-up, while Rich Widmer (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) was eighth at 126 pounds.

During the regular season, the Lions went 13-2 overall and were a perfect 5-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

The softball team was hot all spring using a 20-game winning streak during the season and then capped off the campaign with 17 straight victories, including a perfect 6-0 mark in the NCAA Tournament. The team finished with a record of 46-3 and topped the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater 1-0 to secure the program's second championship under head coach Dr. June Walker.

Pitcher Donna O'Connell (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) went 18-1 on the mound with a .53 earned-run-average, while first baseman Diane Klueg (Absecon, NJ/Holy Spirit) led the team in batting at .446. Shortstop Pam McCreesh (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) hit .415 on the year and third baseman Tracy Warren (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) led the team with 52 runs as she batted .383. All four players earned All-American honors.

The lacrosse program also captured its second NCAA championship in 1987 as the Lions overcame a modest 2-2 start reeling off wins in the final 14 games of the season. The team finished with a record of 16-2 and used an exciting 8-7 overtime win over Ursinus College in the Division III Championship game to lock up the crown. Attack Peggy Englebert (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) forced the extra session scoring with 3:01 left in regulation and then set up the title-clinching score by Margie Flynn (Runnemede, NJ/Triton) in the first of the two mandatory overtime periods.

Englebert was one of four Lions named All-America for the season as she was joined by attack Laura Groppo (Kinnelon, NJ/DePaul), defender Penny Kempf (Vineland, NJ/Vineland), and goalie Sandy Stockl (Tabernacle, NJ,Shawnee).

The title also marked the first for head coach Sharon Pfluger as she currently has 10 to her credit in lacrosse.

In track and field, Virginia Zaleski (Perth Amboy, NJ/St. Mary's) earned a spot atop the podium at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships as she won the 3,000 meter on the final lap with a top time of 9:37.87. She added a second All-American honor in the 1,500 as well.

The Lions had two other runners-up in individual events as diver Erica Huber (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) was second in the 1-meter competition and Joli Harvanik (Watchung, NJ/Watchung Hills) advanced to the NCAA Division III singles final in women's tennis. Huber also added another high finish on the 3-meter board finishing third.