Game 1	vs Delaware (0-1)
Date | Time	Saturday, February 20 | 1:00 pm
Location | Arena	Newark, N.J. | Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium
All-Time Series	Delaware leads 3-0
Live Stats	In-Game Statistics
Live Video	AmericaEast.TV
Game Notes	NJIT (PDF) | DELAWARE

NEWARK, N.J. --- NJIT Men's Lacrosse opens its 2021 campaign on Saturday, February 20 with a home matchup against the Delaware Blue Hens.

A SEASON LIKE NO OTHER
Like many schools across the country, NJIT men's lacrosse will be managing the 2021 campaign while working to maintain the safety of the NJIT community during the current COVID-19 public health crisis. Please bookmark NJITHighlanders.com to keep up-to-date on any schedule changes that may arise because of the pandemic or weather-related issues.

As for fans this season, due to COVID protocol policy, the NJIT Department of Athletics is prohibiting spectators at our Indoor & Outdoor Athletic Events. The policy will be re-evaluated in March.

A NEW ERA BEGINS
The Highlanders enter the 2021 campaign - its first in the program's seven-year history - with a true conference home. NJIT played its first five years as an Division I independent and competed in 2020 as an affiliate member of the Northeast Conference. Due to the COVID-19 public health crisis, NJIT's season was shortened before it was slated to play its first-ever conference game against Long Island University on March 14. That history-making contest is now scheduled for Saturday, March 6 at home against Binghamton as full members of the America East Conference, which NJIT officially joined as its tenth member on July 1, 2020.

2021 CAPTAINS
Seventh-year head coach Travis Johnson named seniors Luke Binder (defender), Colton Johnson (midfielder), and Max Wilson (midfielder) team captains for the 2021 season. Binder was named team captain after serving last season and returning for a fifth campaign while Johnson and Wilson step into captaincy roles after Ryan Kaden and John Tachon graduated.

 "We are proud to announce that Luke, CJ & Max will be our captains for the 2021 season. These young men have helped make an extremely difficult year a little easier with their leadership on and off the field.   I'm so happy for these three young men that they have been picked by their teammates to represent them," Johnson said after naming the trio of leaders.

STARTING OFF RIGHT
NJIT will look to win back-to-back season and home openers for the first time in program history with a win over Delaware. The Highlanders put on an offensive clinic in an 24-7 rout of Hampton to open the 2020 campaign. Gavyn Willson (5 G, 1 A) led all players with six total points while Collin Fogerty (1 G, 4 A) logged five points and Noah Kepes (3 G, 1 A) posted four points. The 24 goals were two goals shy of  the NJIT single-game record of 26 goals, set at Hampton on April 6, 2019.

IN 2020 AND THE OFFSEASON
- NJIT nearly reset its single-game record for goals in a game with 24 against Hampton in its season-opening 24-7 victory
- The Highlanders set new team marks for single-game assists (15 vs Hampton) and points (39 vs Hampton)
- Max Wilson was drafted in the first round (seventh overall) by the Victoria Shamrocks in the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) Graduating Junior Draft in February.

TOP RETURNERS (2020 TOTALS)
- Goals: Gavyn Willson (7)
- Assists: Collin Fogerty (6)
- Points: Fogerty (11)
- Ground Balls: Lynch Raby (19)
- Man-Up Goals: Willson (2)
- Faceoff %: Adam Gonzalez (.667 |10-15)
- Shots: Johnson (23)
- SOG: Fogerty (15 | .652)
- Caused Turnovers: Raby (9)

STIFF COMPETITION
The Highlanders will face a nationally notable schedule this season, as five of NJIT's 11 scheduled opponents made an appearance on at least one of the two Week 1 polls (USILA and Inside Lacrosse):
- Delaware | RV IL
- Lehigh | No. 14 IL, No. 15 USILA
- Stony Brook | No. 20 IL, RV USILA
- UAlbany | RV - USILA and IL
- UMBC | RV USILA

2021 SCHEDULE NOTES
- 11 games scheduled - two non-conference, nine America East
- First home game: February 20 vs Delaware
- First road game: February 27 at Lehigh
- First-ever AE game: March 6 vs Binghamton
- First AE road game: March 13 at Stony Brook
- Repeat matchups: April 3 at Binghamton; April 10 vs Stony Brook
- Senior Day: May 1 vs UMBC
- America East Playoffs: March 6-8
- More than half of NJIT's opponents (six of 11) will be facing the Highlanders for the first time.
- NJIT is not scheduled to play back-to-back home games this season but will have a pair two-game road trips: March 27 at UMass Lowell and April 3 at Binghamton; April 17 at Hartford and April 24 at UAlbany.

ALL-TIME SERIES
NJIT and Delaware will be meeting for the fourth time. Delaware holds a 3-0 edge in the series and won last year's contest, 13-1 in Delaware.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Delaware enters Saturday's matchup with one game under its belt. The Blue Hens dropped a 10-7 road game to Mount St. Mary's on February 17. Delaware was led by JP Ward (2 G, 3 GB), Mark Bieda (2 G), and Matt Kilkeary (17 saves).

NEXT UP
NJIT will hit the road for the first time on February 27 to face Lehigh.