NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will begin a five game road swing on Tuesday, visiting Lafayette in non-conference action.
Game Information
Tip off is slated for 6pm inside in the Kirby Sports Center produced on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on GoLeopards.com. How to Watch?
4-1 Start for Highlanders
The Highlanders started off the season 4-1 for the first time since the 2012-13 season. NJIT opened up the season at Army West Point (Nov. 6) and came away with a 73-57 road victory, pulled out an overtime home victory at home over first time opponent Merrimack (Nov. 10) 48-45, paced by Trinity Williams double-double (12pts, 11reb) and had four players score in double-figures in the home win over Rider. NJIT exploded for 80 points in a 80-36 win over Wagner on November 18, paced by four double-figure scorers. The Highlanders lone loss came against top-10 team Notre Dame.
Nov. 6 | at Army West Point | W, 73-57
Nov. 10 | vs. Merrimack | W, 48-45 (OT)
Nov. 12 | vs. #10 Notre Dame | 57-104
Nov. 15 | vs. Rider | W, 70-57
Nov. 18 | vs. Wagner | W, 80-36
A Win on Tuesday at Lafayette
NJIT will have started off the 2023-24 season 5-1 for the first time in program history. The first season for women's basketball at NJIT was 1986-87, competing at the Division III level.
All-Time Series
Lafayette leads the all-time series, 6-1. The lone win for the Highlanders was in the first-ever meeting on December 28, 2006 in Easton, PA when NJIT won 70-59.
Last Time Out
For the second straight game, NJIT had four players reach double-figures as the Highlanders cruised to an 80-36 home victory over visiting Wagner in women's basketball non-conference action Saturday afternoon inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center.
After the first 10 minutes, NJIT led 21-9 and went into halftime with a 39-15 lead. Over the third and fourth quarters, NJIT combined for 41 points to cruise to an 80-36 victory.
America East Rookie of the Week (11.20.23) | Madilyn Dogs
Freshman Madilyn Dogs earned America East Conference Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week honors, the league office announced on Monday, November 20.
In a 2-0 week for the Highlanders, Dogs averaged 10.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.0spg and 1.5apg while shooting 69% from the field.
Dogs scored a personal-best 15 points while shooting 6-for-8 from the field while grabbing five rebounds in the Highlanders 70-57 home victory over Rider.
The guard from Kewaskum, WI, added six points and tied a personal-best mark of nine rebounds in 15 minutes of action in a win over Wagner on Saturday.
Poured in a Season-Best 80 Points
The 80 points in the win over Wagner (80-36) on November 18 is a season-high and are the most points scored by a Highlander team since the 2019-20 season when the Highlanders defeated Saint Francis Brooklyn 88-69 in Newark.
Sophomore Alejandra Zuniga netted a game-best 11 points followed by Trinity Williams (10), Lyzi Litwinko (10) and Reese Vaughan (10). Litwinko went 4-of-5 from the field and Gingrich finished 2-of-4 from three-point range.
Dishing Out Dimes
As a team, NJIT dished out 20 assists in the win over Wagner, 80-36, on November 18. The 20 assists are the most by a Highlander team since the 2019-20 season (28 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn; 11.26.19).
Four Teams Reaching Postseason in 2023 on the Highlanders Non-Conference Slate
NJIT women's basketball head coach Mike Lane announced the non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 season, which includes four teams that reached postseason in 2023 and is highlighted by a visit from Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent Notre Dame and a trip south to Miami (FL).
For the first time in program history, NJIT will host Notre Dame on Sunday, November 12 inside NJIT's Wellness and Events Center. The Irish, who reached the 2023 NCAA Sweet Sixteen, finished with a 27-6 overall record. NJIT's Lane is a 1993 graduate of Notre Dame, where he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing.
Miami, who the Highlanders will visit for the first time on December 3, reached the 2023 NCAA Elite Eight, finishing with a 22-13 overall record.
The Highlanders will make a short trip to Northeast Conference regular season champion Fairleigh Dickinson (24-8 overall, 14-2 NEC) on November 29. FDU earned an automatic qualifier bid to the 2023 WNIT due to the Knights winning the NEC regular season title.
NJIT will travel to 2023 Northeast Conference Champion Sacred Heart (19-14 overall, 12-4 NEC) on December 6. The Pioneers registered the first NCAA Tournament win in program history and the first win for a Northeast Conference women's team.
News & Notes on NJIT
-
Top five scorers return from a season ago – Alejandra Zuniga (12.3), Kenna Squier (11.0), Trinity Williams (10.2), Aria Myers (8.9) and Lyzi Litwinko (8.8).
-
Ready for her second season in a Highlander uniform is Alejandra Zuniga, who was selected America East Rookie of the Year, becoming the first player in NJIT women's basketball program history to be named to the accolade, including America East Third Team, America East All-Rookie Team.
-
The 31 points scored by Zuniga against Binghamton on February 15, 2023 are the most points scored by a freshman since the 2008 season.
-
Back for her graduate year, Kenna Squier was selected to the America East Conference third team. She currently sits fourth in the NJIT DI era with 1,161 points (7th all-time), 502 rebounds, 237 assists (5th in NJIT DI era), 141 steams (T-2nd DI era; T-10th all-time) and 106 games played/started (T-9th in NJIT DI era).
-
Forward Trinity Williams started 28 games, putting up 10.2 points and a team-high 6.1 boards per game with 42 blocks
New Kids on the Block | Full Release
Madilyn Dogs, Guard, Kewaskum, WI/Kewaskum High School
Audrey Kormann, Forward, Maple Grove, MN/Maple Grove Senior High
Marissa Gingrich, Guard, Lewistown, PA/Mifflin County High School
Mackenzie Wright-Rawls, Forward, York, PA/Central York High School
Angelina Banas, Forward, Columbus, NJ/Notre Dame High School
Women's Basketball Announces 2028 Class
NJIT sixth-year head coach Mike Lane announced the addition of five high school standouts who will join the Highlanders for the 2024-25 season.
Allison Cannon (Holmdel, NJ), Piper Engelby (Andover, MN), Olivia Kulyk (Edniboro, PA), Olivia O'Meally (Niskayuna, NY) and Mayah Alford (Levittown, PA) will begin their first semester with the Highlanders in the Fall of 2024.
America East Conference
NJIT will begin its fourth season in the America East and will play a schedule of 16 conference games against the other eight schools. The Highlanders became the 10th full member of the America East on July 1, 2020 and were selected to finish fifth in the 2023-24 preseason coaches poll, receiving 38 votes.
The Highlanders, which made its third consecutive appearance in the 2023 America East postseason tournament, concluded its season with a 13-16 overall mark and 8-8 in the America East.
Fans will once again be able to watch every #AEHoops home game on The AE on ESPN with all games airing on ESPN+ or ESPN3 domestically and AmericaEast.TV internationally.
Scouting Lafayette
Lafayette enters Tuesday's contest with a 1-3 overall record with the lone win coming against LIU, 54-51 at LIU on November 18. Guard Makayla Andrews and junior guard Abby Antognoli propelled the Leopards on offense. Andrews finished with 13 points, three assists and six rebounds. Antognoli scored eight points, dished five assists and grabbed two rebounds.
Antognoli and Andrews are both averaging double-figures -- 13.0ppg and 11.3ppg respectively. Andrews paces the Leopards on the boards with 6.0rpg.
The Leopards lost its first three games of the 2023 season: at Syracuse, at East Tennessee State and vs. Marist.
Lafayette was predicted to finish eighth in the preseason poll, the Patriot League office announced on Oct. 12. The Leopards received 60 votes.
Nine players returning to College Hill after losing just one team member to graduation. Senior guard Makayla Andrews and junior guard Abby Antognoli are among top key returners. Andrews averaged 14.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 1.0 apg last season. Antognoli posted 12.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 3.0 apg in her second year at Lafayette. Sophomore Kay Donaue will also add depth to the Leopards back court after averaging 3.5 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 2022-23. Senior forward Kayla Drummond Drummond averaged 6.0 ppg and 7.6 rpg last season.
Next Up
NJIT in a stretch of a five game road swing, the Highlanders will break for the Thanksgiving Holiday and will return to action on November 25 at Hofstra. Tip-off is slated for 2pm on FloSports.
Stay Connected
Stay up to date during the NJIT Women's Basketball season by following @NJITWBB on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Women's Basketball page on Facebook
