CLARK, NJ – Lance Pecina, a 2013 graduate of the Arthur L. Johnson High School, stood out as a leader and mentor to his teammates and coaches at Stockton University. Always aspiring to help others, Pecina received the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Unsung Hero Award at a student-athlete banquet held at the college on Sunday, April 30, 2017.
Pecina, who graduated in May, earned a degree in Criminal Justice. He served as the captain of the university’s lacrosse team during his senior year, and was a key defender on the team.
This past season, he scored four goals and dished out four assists, leading the Ospreys to a 16-3 record and an appearance in the Skyline Conference Tournament Title Game.
“I didn’t find out until we had a senior brunch for athletics,” Pecina said. “I had no idea, she [Stockton Director of Athletic Operations Linda Yost] started slowly, saying, ‘This person has a GPA of 3.52 and is a Criminal Justice major.’ It started adding up that it was going to be me. I just felt shocked and totally grateful because Linda Yost and I had a great meeting a week after it happened and she was great during the process and I can’t thank her enough for that.”
