NEWARK, NJ--NJIT Athletics recognized the contributions and accomplishments of over 350 student-athletes on its 19 varsity teams for the 2021-22 season at the Annual Athletics Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 4, 2022 on campus inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
The Athletic Sports Awards Ceremony was a fun-filled afternoon designed to honor the NJIT Highlander teams for all of their hard work on and off the field during the 2021-22 athletic year. This year's event was started with a Red Carpet entrance at 3:30pm before the formal festivities began at 4:15pm.
Before the awards portion of the banquet, NJIT Athletics recognized NJIT President Dr. Joel Bloom, who will be transitioning to President Emeritus in July. For the last 32 years, Dr. Bloom has been a visionary leader for the NJIT Community. He has left an indelible mark on our Athletic Department and student-athletes.
Most Outstanding Player by sport awards along with Best Game Face Awards presented by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Highlander Academic, Chi Alpha Sigma, Leadership Academy and Senior Awards were given out over the course of the evening.
Junior Ryan Fischer (BASE) was honored as the Male Athlete of the Year, while Dominika Pawlowska (WFEN) was recognized as the Women Athlete of the Year.
Freshman Alessandro Negri (MVB) was named Male Newcomer of the Year and Caroline Caputo (WSOC) took home Female Newcomer of the Year honors.
Ryan Fischer | Baseball | Male Athlete of the Year
Fischer, a junior pitcher for the Highlanders, has had a impressive season as the team gets ready for its final three regular season series of the season and then postseason play. The 2021 Second Team All-America East honoree is 7-2 on the mound in 2022 with a 3.76 ERA. Fischer is the frontrunner for 2022 America East Pitcher of the Year as he boasts a 6-0 record and 2.63 ERA through seven conference starts this spring.
Fischer's best performance of the season came in a 10-2 victory over rival Stony Book when he struck out a a career-high 14 Seawolves' hitters in his first-career nine-inning complete game. The right-hander did not walk a batter and his 14 strikeouts were the most by a Highlander since 2013.
Dominika Pawlowska | Women's Fencing | Female Athlete of the Year
Pawlowska qualified for her second-straight NCAA Championship this winter, going 89-27 (77.0%) on the strip over the course of the season. The USFCA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Second Team Honoree placed seventh at the 2022 Regional Tournament.
Alessandro Negri | Men's Volleyball | Male Newcomer of the Year
Negri helped lead the Highlanders to their first EIVA Championship appearance since 1999 this spring, earning First Team All-EIVA honors after a stellar freshman campaign. The Italy native led NJIT in aces (24) and finished second in kills (286).
Negri had 10+ kills in 15 different matches this season, including a personal-best 17 at Loyola Chicago.
Caroline Caputo | Women's Soccer | Female Newcomer of the Year
Caputo was named to the America East All-Rookie Team after an impressive freshman season where she played in 16 of 19 games and made eight starts.
Caputo recorded her first-career points, a pair of assists, in back-to-back games against New Jersey foes Saint Peter's and Rider early in the season. She was one of just four newcomers with multiple points this season.
2021-22 Key Athletic Achievements
- Nineteen All-conference team members
- Seventeen teams made their respective postseasons.
- Five teams set single season records for wins
- Two teams made their conference finals, and another two were semifinalists
- Two fencers were individual Conference Champions in their respective weapons
- Two fencers qualified for the NCAA championships
- One Conference champion (baseball still with nine games remaining and postseason)
2021-22 Athletic Academic Achievements
- 18 teams with over a 3.0 cum GPA
- 50 students-athletes earned a 4.0 in the 2021 fall semester
- 85% maintained a cum GPA greater than 3.0
- 20 named to their respective conferences All-Academic teams
- Department wide cum GPA of 3.49, which now makes 26 straight semesters over a 3.0
