Magruder, Jones Recognized By America East

10/28/2022 4:05:00 PM

NEWARK, N.J. — Grad Siani Magruder and freshman Riley Jones have earned postseason honors from the America East Conference, the league announced on Friday afternoon. Magruder was named to the All-Conference Second Team while Jones earned a spot on the All- Rookie team.

Magruder, a native of Egg Harbor Township, was selected to the AE second team for the second straight year and becomes the first Highlander since Arianna Gerber (2016 ASUN Second Team, 2018 ASUN First Team) to earn multiple First or Second Team All-Conference accolades from the same league in a career. Including her 2019 ASUN Second Team honor, Magruder is the first Highlander in program history to earn three All-Conference team awards in a career. The defensive stalwart helped NJIT finish third in the America East in opponent scoring average (1.11) and goals allowed (20) while shutting out opponents six times. Magruder-led teams have accounted for 30 shutouts over the past five seasons, including the two best defensive campaigns in NJIT history - 2018 and 2021 (school record nine shutouts each).

Magruder added a second goal to her career ledger in NJIT's season finale at Bryant on October 27, a penalty kick game-winner that helped the Highlanders secure their second straight America East playoff berth in its three-year league history.

Jones, a native of Clinton, New York, helped stabilize a Highlander roster beset by injuries and was a major contributor to the team's late season turnaround. In NJIT's first 11 games, Jones played once (nine minutes vs Hartford) and the Highlanders went 2-4-5 (.409 winning percentage). Jones would play in the final seven contests, start the last five games, increase her minutes every game until she played a full 90 minutes in the last four, record two goals and an assist, and help NJIT go 3-3-1 down the stretch (.500) and clinch the No. 6 seed in the America East tournament. Jones' two goals - at UAlbany and against Vermont - contributed to her winning the final two America East Rookie of the Week awards of the season on October 17 and October 24.

Magruder, Jones and the No. 6 Highlanders will take on the No. 3 Maine Black Bears in the America East quarterfinals on Sunday, October 30 at 5 p.m. in Orono, Maine.

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