NEWARK, N.J. --- The NJIT Men's Lacrosse team begins a three-game road slate on Saturday afternoon when the Highlanders travel to Cambridge to face the Harvard Crimson for the first time in program history.

NJIT COVID-19 POLICY
For NJIT Men's Lacrosse home games, masks are strongly encouraged when sitting in the stands of Lubetkin Field and unlike NJIT Athletics' indoor spectator policy, proof of vaccination is not required. However, masks ARE required when entering NJIT's Wellness and Events Center and NJIT's indoor spectator policy does apply.

LAST TIME OUT
The Highlanders opened their 2022 home schedule on February 12 with a hard-fought 10-5 defeat against the No. 15 Lehigh Mountain Hawks. 

Gage Adams was among the Highlanders' team leaders on offense for the second time in as many career games for the freshman. The newcomer, along with teammate Gavyn Willson, led NJIT with a pair of goals and an assist for three total points apiece. Transfer Arthur Miller added the team's other goal.

Collin Fogerty assisted on two of NJIT's goals, logging multiple assists for the 11th time in his career and extending his current point streak to 11 games, dating back to last season's first game vs Binghamton (Mar. 6, 2021). Owen Corry recorded NJIT's other assist on the day.

Isaac Vanzomeren gathered three ground balls, three faceoff wins and a caused turnover against the Mountain Hawks.

Liam Brown caused a game-high two turnovers while also stopping 20 shots. The 20 saves were one shy of his career best of 21 from NJIT's 2020 meeting with a ranked Lehigh team (Feb. 22).

ROOKIE STANDOUT
Adams' early season efforts earned him the first America East Rookie of the Week honor of 2022. The Kirkland, WA native totaled seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the Highlanders' matchups at No. 16/19 Delaware (2 G, 2 A) and vs. No. 15 Lehigh (2 G, 1 A).

Adams' seven points are tied for the league lead with UMass Lowell's Colin Foley and his four goals share the conference benchmark with Foley and Highlander teammate Arthur Miller

The honor is the second weekly award NJIT has received since joining the America East. Teammate Owen Corry earned the first - Offensive Player of the Week - last season after leading the Highlanders to their first-ever league win at UMass Lowell.

FACEOFF TAKEOFF
Billy Kroeger's 20 faceoff wins against Delaware tied former Highlander Tyler Stevenson's school record for faceoff wins in a single game. Stevenson set the mark by going 20-26 at Lafayette on February 9, 2019. NJIT's 21 total faceoff wins (21-29) marked the first time the Highlanders corralled at least 20 faceoffs since the 2020 season opener against Hampton (2/1/2020; 20-33).

PUSHING THROUGH
In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NJIT will look to complete a 13-game slate in its eighth year as a program and its second season as a member of the America East conference. The Highlanders will play five home games in its third season at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium and travel for eight games.

DURING THE 2021-22 OFFSEASON

• Max Wilson was drafted 12th overall in the 2021 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Draft by the Halifax Thunderbirds.

• Eric Sherman was named an America East Winter Presidential Scholar Athlete as a student-athlete with a GPA of 3.75 or better.

• Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Lenny Kaplan was added to the Board of Directors of the United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA).

• Head Coach Travis Johnson made changes to his coaching staff, elevating Blase Mantineo to lead assistant coach and hiring Cade Siddron to round out the staff.

2022 STATS LEADERS

• Goals: Arthur Miller/Gage Adams (4)

• Assists: Gavyn Willson (4)

• Points: Adams (7)

• Ground Balls: Billy Kroeger (8)

• Man-Up Goals: Miller (2)

• Faceoff %: Kroeger (.769 | 20-26)

• Shots: Owen Corry (18)

• SOG: Corry (9 | .500)

• Caused Turnovers: Teddy Grimley/Liam Brown (2)

TOP RETURNERS (2021 TOTALS)

• Goals: Owen Corry (19)

• Assists: Collin Fogerty (11)

• Points: Fogerty (26)

• Ground Balls: Isaac Vanzomeren (43)

• Man-Up Goals: Jack Bowie (4)

• Faceoff %: Vanzomeren (.466 | 90-193)

• Shots: Corry (79)

• SOG: Fogerty (38 | .481)

• Caused Turnovers: Lynch Raby (17)

THROUGH THE GAUNTLET

The Highlanders will once again take on a highly competitive schedule with the goal of preparing for the rigors of the America East season. Like 2021, NJIT's schedule includes five teams that at least received votes in the Preseason Inside Lacrosse or USILA/Dynamic poll:

• Delaware: No. 16 IL / No. 19 USILA

• Lehigh: No. 14/10

• Army West Point: No. 10/13

• Vermont: No. 17/15

• UAlbany: RV/RV

WORKING OUR WAY UP
NJIT was voted to finish sixth in the seven-team America East Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll. With the conference's decision regarding Stony Brook's championship eligibility due to its pending departure for the CAA, the Highlanders will look to find their way into the top four of the remaining six teams eligible for the America East tournament and make a league tournament for the first time in program history.

2022 SCHEDULE NOTES

• 13 games scheduled - seven non-conference, six America East

• First home game: February 12 vs Lehigh

• First road game: February 5 at Delaware

• First AE game (road): March 19 at Vermont

• First AE home game: March 26 vs UMass Lowell

• First time opponent: February 19 at Harvard

• Senior Day: April 22 vs UAlbany

• America East Playoffs: March 5-7

• Longest Road Trip: February 19 - March 5 (Harvard, Army West Point, Wagner

• Longest Home Stand: March 26 - April 2 (UMass Lowell, Binghamton)

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Harvard will be making its return to the field after a 714-day hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like NJIT and all others across the country, Harvard's 2020 campaign was shut down in March and the Ivy League members did not compete in 2021.

NEXT UP
NJIT will continue its road slate next week (Saturday, February 26) with a Noon matchup at Army West Point.