MAYS LANDING — Atlantic Cape Community College recognized Nicholas Asselta and his wife Nancy Small Asselta with Athletics Recognition of Excellence Awards for their significant contributions to the College’s Athletics program on Saturday, January 24 on the Mays Landing campus.
During a reception held in Carême’s, the College’s student-run gourmet restaurant, Atlantic Cape Athletic Director Jamal Edwards introduced the two honorees to the guests, which included many family members, close friends and former student-athletes, in attendance by recounting both of their stellar resumes and numerous accomplishments. On the floor of Jonathan Pitney Gymnasium, the Asselta’s were presented with commemorative plaques inscribed with “in recognition of your support and leadership to Atlantic Cape Community College and its athletic programs.”
Nicholas Asselta, who was raised in Vineland, and graduated from Vineland High School, Cumberland County College and the Frederick Military Academy, served as Atlantic Cape’s men’s basketball head coach from 1978-81. He also attended Rider College and the Glassboro State College Management Institute.
Asselta began his remarks by thanking former Atlantic Cape archery head coach and athletic director Dr. Helen Bolnick, who founded the College’s archery program in 1972, retired in 2008 and passed away in 2018.
“Dr. Helen Bolnick was the very first female athletic director of Region 19 and she was just a groundbreaking individual. She gave me my opportunity here to coach at 29 years old. She took a chance on me,” said Asselta, who recognized his former assistant coaches Roger Robinson and Bobby Royal, who later became the head coach of the men’s basketball team before assuming the role of athletic director before retiring in 2012 after 38 years at the College.
Asselta credited many of his former players and coaches, thanking them for helping build him into the man he became him during his time at Atlantic Cape.
“My tree, my coaching tree, I like to think, is important to me. My wife asked me ‘what's a tree?’ I told her that a tree is someone that spawns off of you and does something similar that you've kind of mentored,” said Asselta. “I didn't coach a long time, but I used that opportunity that I learned in coaching to parlay that into more of a business and then politics. Everybody needs a tree and everybody needs to create that tree because that's what this is all about.”
Asselta entered public service when he was elected in 1993 election to the Vineland Board of Education. In January 1995, he was sworn into the General Assembly to fill an unexpired term. Later that November, he won his first of four terms representing New Jersey’s First District in the General Assembly. In 2003 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate and served as State Senator until 2008.
Nancy Small Asselta attended and graduated from Mainland High School where she discovered her love of cheerleading. After earning her associate degree from Atlantic Cape (then known as Atlantic Community College) in 1975 she attended the University of Tennessee and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design. She returned to Atlantic Cape as a cheerleading coach from 1978-81. The Asselta’s married in 1980. Small Asselta currently owns and operates the interior design firm Small Asselta Interior Design, LLC.
“I would like to thank the Atlantic Cape Alumni organization for all of their hard work in honoring Nick and I in such a very generous way. Thank you to our family and friends, some of whom traveled far, who are here to support us on this bitter winter morning,” said Small Asselta. “I was so fulfilled with my experience at ACC (Atlantic Cape) and I loved every minute of it. I went from a small jewel of a county college to a huge university, and I have never experienced the level of dedication and caring as I did from the professors here. The open personal and warm atmosphere created by the layout of the buildings surrounding the beautiful campus. Atlantic Cape was so conducive to learning and the exchange of ideas.
“ACC (Atlantic Cape) provided so many opportunities for me. It brought me friendships, and since students from both Atlantic and Cape May counties attended the College, I met and built so many deep and lasting friendships with people, many of which I wouldn't even have had the chance to meet if I hadn't gone to Atlantic Cape. I had the unexpected opportunity to be a tutor for several subjects, which was very rewarding. I was very active in the music department as a vocalist in the Atlantic Choral Arts Society and a performer in a theater company. I am so humbled to receive this award and I will always be a proud alumna and an enthusiastic cheerleader.
View a photo gallery of this event on Flickr.
Learn more about Atlantic Cape athletics at atlanticcape.edu/athletics.
About Atlantic Cape Community College
Established in 1964, Atlantic Cape Community College is a Middle States accredited, 2022 Achieving the Dream Leader College and Hispanic Serving Institution proudly serving the residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties. As a comprehensive, two-year community college, Atlantic Cape offers 47 undergraduate degree programs, and 34 certificate and professional series programs at its Mays Landing, Atlantic City and Cape May campuses. Atlantic Cape is home to the renowned Academy of Culinary Arts, rated the top culinary school in New Jersey, and for more than 50 years, our highly-acclaimed Nursing program. Atlantic Cape also partners with more than 30 colleges and four-year universities to offer students the opportunity to seamlessly earn a bachelor’s degree upon graduation.
