Athletic Banquet Photo Gallery

NEWARK, NJ— NJIT Athletics recognized the contributions and accomplishments of over 250 student-athletes on its 18 varsity teams for 2013-14 season at the athletic awards banquet on Tuesday, May 6, on campus at the Campus Center Ballroom.

The athletic sports banquet and awards ceremony was a fun-filled night designed to honor all of the NJIT Highlander teams' for all of their hard work on and off the field during the 2013-14 athletic year.

Most Outstanding Player by sport awards along with Highlander Academic, Senior Awards, Community Service and Fan of the Year awards were given out over the course of the evening.  There was also a slideshow featuring the 2013-14 NJIT Highlander student-athletes in action. The evening was capped with the announcements of the 2013-14 Male and Female Athletes of the Year, as well as the Male and Female Newcomers of the Year.

Freshman men's fencer David Kong was honored as Male Athlete of the Year, while women's volleyball player Fran Edmondson, was named Female Athlete of the Year.  Freshman men's basketball player Damon Lynn tabbed Male Newcomer of the Year and freshman women's track and field athlete Cristina De Cristofaro was named Female Newcomer of the Year.

NJIT Male Athlete of the Year
David Kong whose weapon is the foil, earned a 16-place finish at the US National Championships on April 11, 2014.  He was seeded 28th out of the pools and received a bye in the first round.   He is currently ranked 24th in the nation and 14th under 20.  He placed 18th in the men's foil competition at the 2014 NCAA Fencing Championships (March 23, 2014), becoming the first NJIT fencer in 10 years to advance to the championships.

Kong finished in top six at the 2014 NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional becoming the only fencer from the MACFA conference to qualify for the NCAA National Championships.  He captured the individual men's foil title at the 2014 MACFA Conference Championships and participated in the Junior World Cup, held in Slovakia, placing 86th out of a field of 182 of the world's best young fencers and competed at the 2014 Junior Olympic Championships finishing 19th out of 174 fencers.

NJIT Female Athlete of the Year
Fran Edmondson appeared in all 22 matches in her sophomore season ranking first on the team in assists with 403 (5.23aps).  The 6-foot setter from Christchurch, New Zealand ranked second on the team in blocks with 51, third in kills with 116 (1.51kps) and third with 197 digs (2.56dps).

NJIT Male Newcomer of the Year
Damon Lynn led NJIT in scoring at 17.2 points per game, the highest individual average in the school's DI era (8 seasons, beginning in 2006-07).  His 500 points were second-highest in DI era, topped only by Isaiah Wilkerson's 517 in 32 games in 2011-12. 

Lynn set a school-record 107 3-pointers, topping the old mark of 84 in the 23rd game.  His 107 3s are fourth-highest in NCAA DI history for a freshman.  Lynn also completed his freshman season averaging 3.69 3-point baskets a game, which is sixth-best all-time among freshmen for the rule that is in its 28th season.

He led NJIT in scoring 16 times, in rebounds 3 times, in assists 7 times and in steals 9 times.  He scored over 30 points once, 20-29 points 10 times and 10-19 points 14 times, with double-figures in 24 of 29 games.  Lynn was the team season leader with 35 steals and was second with 60 assists. 
NJIT Female Newcomer of the Year
Cristina De Cristofaro holds the NJIT indoor track and field records in the women's long jump and triple jump.  At the Indoor Collegiate Track Conference (CTC) Indoor championships on February 8, she placed in 5 events, earning 2nd team all-CTC recognition in the triple jump.

In outdoor track and field, she is a member of the record-setting 4x100 relay team and holds the women's long jump record.  At the CTC Outdoor championships, she placed in 7 events, earning second-team recognition in the 2x400 relay, long jump and was a third-team honoree in the women's triple jump.

Outstanding Performer Award Winners (by sport)
Women's Volleyball – Fran Edmondson
Men's Volleyball – Ryan Thomas
Men's Swimming & Diving – Brian Capozzola
Women's Basketball – Alyssa Albanese
Men's Basketball – Damon Lynn
Men's Soccer – Marko Drljic
Women's Soccer – Samantha Bersett
Men's Fencing – David Kong
Women's Fencing – Julia Aronov
Men's Tennis – Markus Schultz
Women's Tennis – Ksenia Kuzmenko
Men's Cross Country – Daniel Rondon
Women's Cross Country – Breanne Hollenbach
Men's Indoor Track & Field – John Porteous
Women's Indoor Track & Field – Cristina De Cristofaro
Men's Outdoor Track & Field – John Porteous
Women's Outdoor Track & Field – Kelli Hesse
Baseball –  TBD at the completion of the 2014 season

Community Service Award – NJIT men's and women's cross country and track and field teams

Fan of the Year– Bill Johnson; Mailroom