GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan wide receiver John Maldonado was named the Richard Wackar College Player of the Year by the South Jersey Chapter of the National Football Foundation as the organization held its awards dinner recently. 

The senior was chosen to the All-New Jersey Athletic Conference First Team for the second consecutive season as he led the league in receptions (56), receiving yards (837), yards per catch (14.9) and touchdowns (11). Among the highlights of Maldonado's season was his three-touchdown performance against Springfield where he caught nine passes for 115 yards to receive NJAC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Maldonado also excelled in the classroom, being named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team as well as to the PhillySIDA Academic All-Area Football Team. He is an inductee into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national student-athlete honor society, and is a Rowan Scholar-Athlete of Distinction for multiple years, while he was named to the National Football Foundation Honor Society in 2023.

The South Jersey Chapter of the National Football Foundation serves the counties of Cumberland, Salem, Atlantic and Cape May. Since 1992, the chapter has supported and promoted the growth of amateur football and the scholar-athlete banquet held in mid-March is the signature event each year.