NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT women's basketball team will host defending America East Conference Champions Vermont on Saturday afternoon.

Game Information
Tip off is slated for 12pm inside the Joel and Diane Bloom Wellness and Events Center on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com

All-Time Series
Vermont leads the all-time series, 13-1. The lone win for the Highlanders dates back to the 2020-21 season, a 70-60, victory in Newark.

Amber Morgan Memorial Game
The Highlander Women's Basketball team will honor the memory of their teammate, Amber Morgan '19, who tragically lost her life to a senseless act of domestic violence in the Summer of 2024.

We invite all Highlander Women's Basketball alumni to support Amber's memory and legacy by attending the Amber Morgan Memorial Women's Basketball Game and/or contributing to the Amber Morgan Memorial Scholarship.

Quick Hits
–The Highlanders 13 wins have come against Bryant, UMass Lowell, New Hampshire, UMBC, Delaware State, Lafayette, Sacred Heart, Fordham, St. Thomas, and home wins against Wagner, Saint Peter's Manhattan, and Drexel.
–The 13 overall wins marks the fifth consecutive season with double-digit wins.
–The 13 wins are shy of the second-highest win total in the NJIT Division I era. The 16-15 overall record in 201-13 was the first winning record and highest wins total in the Division I era (began 2006-07). Only the 2004-05 team (18 wins) and the 2005-06 team (17 wins in the program's final Division II season) have won more.
–NJIT is 4-3 in the America East and sits in sixth place.
–The nine non-conference wins are the most in the NJIT DI era.
–NJIT started out the season 10-4, which marks the best start in the NJIT Division I era and best start since the 2005-06 season.
–In the last two seasons, NJIT has won the America East Conference opener.
–Senior Alejandra Zuniga made history on Saturday becoming NJIT's all-time leading scorer in women's basketball history in the Highlanders 78-65 road victory over Bryant in America East Conference women's basketball action inside Chase Athletic Center.  Zuniga, who entered the game with 1,489 points, scored her milestone points in the third quarter at the 4:07 on a layup to become NJIT's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Jessica Gerald (1,504 career points; 2007-11).  She finished with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds.
– Zuniga tallied a program-record 39 points at UMBC on January 1, 2026 for the Highlanders first conference win of the 2026 season.
–Zuniga tallied her 300th career assist vs. UAlbany on January 29 after dishing out five assists.
–Sophomore Allison Cannon registered a triple-double (14pts, 11ast, 10reb) against Lafayette on November 30, which marked the first triple double in NJIT Division I era and the third triple double all-time.
–Sophomore Olivia Kulyk leads the America East Conference in overall three-point field goals made (47) and tops the conference in three-pointers per game (2.5). She sits fifth in the conference in scoring at (15.8ppg).
–The 48-point win margin of victory over Saint Peter's on November 19 is the most against a Division I opponent since 2012.
–The 82 total points at Fordham on November 7 are the most points scored by the Highlanders this season.
–NJIT has scored 80 or more points in three games this season.
–The Highlanders have had four players score in double-digits in five games this season.
–NJIT started the 2025 season 6-1 for the first time in program history.
--In the last four seasons, NJIT has won the season opener and started 1-0.

All-Time Leading Scorer - Alejandra Zuniga
Senior Alejandra Zuniga made history on Saturday becoming NJIT's all-time leading scorer in women's basketball history in the Highlanders 78-65 road victory over Bryant in America East Conference women's basketball action inside Chase Athletic Center.  Zuniga, who entered the game with 1,489 points, scored her milestone points in the third quarter at the 4:07 on a layup to become NJIT's all-time leading scorer, surpassing Jessica Gerald (1,504 career points; 2007-11).  She finished with a game-high 27 points and eight rebounds vs. Bryant.  Zuniga currently stands with 1,538 career points.

300 Career Assists - Zuniga
Zuniga recorded her 300th career assist after tallying five assists vs. UAlbany on January 29, which now ranks the senior second in the NJIT Division I era and fifth all-time in NJIT history.

Largest Margin of Victory Since 2012
The 48-point margin of victory against Saint Peter's (Nov. 19) is the most against a Division I opponent since February 18, 2012, when NJIT defeated Houston Baptist by 60-points, 88-28.  In 2023-24, NJIT defeated Wagner by 44-points (NJIT 80, Wagner 36).

America East Conference
NJIT will begin its sixth 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 eighth in the 2024-25 preseason coaches poll.

Zuniga was selected to the America East Preseason All-Conference team.   Last season, Zuniga was picked to the America East first team, as a sophomore she was named to the second team and during her freshman campaign, Zuniga earned America East Rookie of the Year, America East Third team, America East All-Rookie team honors. She is coming off a season which saw the Highlanders guard ranked third in the league in scoring (16.0ppg), third in assists (3.4), fifth in free throw percentage (65.0%) and fifth in field goal percentage (44.0%).

The Highlanders, which made its fifth consecutive appearance in the 2025 America East postseason tournament, concluded its season with a 11-19 overall mark and 8-18 in the America East.

Scouting UVM
Vermont won its fifth straight game of the season with a 69-47 road victory at UMBC.

The Catamounts will enter Saturday's contest with an 18-5 overall record, 7-1 in the America East and 8-4 on the road.

Leading the Catamount offense is Nikola Priede with 17.1ppg while shooting 59.5 percent from the field.  Keira Hanson ranks second averaging 14.3ppg followed by Jayden Weltz at 11.9ppg.  

The reigning America East Champions, Vermont women's basketball team, has been selected as the league favorite in the 2025-26 America East Preseason Poll. The Catamounts received seven first-place votes and scored 63 points in the poll. America East also announced its Preseason All-Conference Team, which features UVM guard Catherine Gilwee and center Nikola Priede.

In late October, head coach Alisa Kresge was named to a 20-person watch list for the 2026 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award.  In her time as head coach, Kresge has compiled a 118-81 record, good for a .593 winning percentage. With 17 wins this season, she became the winningest head coach in Vermont women's basketball history. Last season, the Catamounts captured their eighth America East championship and earned their eighth NCAA tournament berth.

Next Up
NJIT will hit the road for a pair of games, first visiting UMass Lowell on February 5 (6pm) and Binghamton on February 7 (12pm).

In the first meetings against both teams this season, NJIT defeated UML on January 15, 68-57 while Binghamton topped the Highlanders in a come-from-behind win, outscoring the Highlanders 24-11 in the fourth quarter and down by as many as 17, to roll to a 74-71 road victory at NJIT.

Stay Connected
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