NEWARK, NJ--The NJIT men's soccer team will close out the 2020 regular season, hosting UMBC in an America East Conference match-up Friday night at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.

No Spectators at NJIT Athletic Contests
Due to COVID protocol policy, NJIT Department of Athletics is Prohibiting Spectators at our Indoor & Outdoor Athletic Events.

Game Information
Game time is slated for 7pm on Friday, April 9.  The match will be streamed live on America East TV with in-game statistics available on www.NJITHighlanders.com. 

All-Time Series
The all-time series is tied at 1-1.  NJIT picked up the program's first America East Conference victory over the Retrievers, 2-1, on March 9.  Prior to the meeting on March 9, the two teams met in 2004, which marked the Highlanders first season of Division I competition in men's soccer.

New Home for the Highlanders
NJIT, which officially joined the league on July 1, 2020, as the 10th full member institution, will begin its inaugural season in the America East on February 26 when the Highlanders visit UMBC.

The Highlanders were picked to finish fourth according to a vote of the league's coaches.

Around the League - Clinching Scenarios
Hartofrd secured Pod B with its win over Binghamton, while the Wildcats and Catamounts sit tied atop Pod A at 4-0-1. The two teams meet Friday in a game that will decide the pod as well as the championship's overall #1 seed. UNH secures it with a win or a tie, while Vermont would with a win.

The final spot in the field will be determined by the NJIT-UMBC matchup. The Highlanders qualify with a win or a tie while the Retrievers are in with a win.  The top seed will host the Spring 2021 America East Men's Soccer Championship, to be played April 15 and 17.

Weekly Honors for Regsan Watkins
NJIT senior Watkins picked up a pair of honors this week, earning College Soccer New National Team of the Week and America East Conference Player of the Week for his performance at Stony Brook last Friday after netting all three goals in NJIT's 3-2 road victory.

Senior Night
NJIT will honor its six graduating seniors on Friday prior to the match -- Anthony Caruso, Thomas Radon, Nicholas Kozdron, Roberto Adamson Hernandez, Tristan Parker and Watkins.

Last Time Out
NJIT senior Regsan Watkins' hat trick powered visiting NJIT to a 3-2 men's soccer America East Conference win at Stony Brook Friday afternoon at Lavalle Stadium.

He became the second Highlander in the Division I era to score a hat trick.  Senior Rene White scored the program's first hat trick in the DI era against Saint Francis U on September 5, 2018.  Watkins, the 5-foot-9 forward netted a career-best four goals during his sophomore campaign at Division II Bloomfield College against Nyack College on October 28, 2018.

2019 Year in Review
The Highlanders will be returning to competition off the programs first-ever ASUN Conference Regular Season and Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance. 

NJIT, which finished with a Division I school-record ten wins last season, ranked in the Top 10 of the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region poll all season, with its highest ranking coming during the second week of the season (No. 2). NJIT closed the season ranked fifth out of 10 teams.

The Highlanders finished last season 10-5-4 overall, 5-1-0 in the ASUN.

NJIT return seven players who earned All-ASUN honors including, Coach of the Year (Fernando Barboto), Player of the Year (Rene White), Goalkeeper of the Year (Samuel Reisgys) and Rookie of the Year (Alejandro Rabell).

Scouting UMBC
UMBC comes into its final regular season contest with a 3-3-1 overall record, 2-2-1 in the America East.

The Retrievers are coming off a 2-1 loss in non-conference action against St. Joseph's on April 3.  UMBC registered a 2-1 win over Stony Brook on March 26 with a pair of goals scored by Spencer Hanks.

UMBC has scored six goals this season -- two coming from Hanks and Taylor Calheira.

Follow Us
Stay up to date during the 2021 NJIT men's soccer season by following @NJITSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Men's Soccer page on Facebook.