NJIT Athletics Holds 2020-21 Athletics Awards Ceremony
Published: Monday, May 10, 2021
NJIT Athletics recognized the contributions and accomplishments of over 350 student-athletes on its 19 varsity teams for the 2020-21 season at the Annual Athletics Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 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 2020-21 athletic year.
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.
Seniors Alvaro Gimeno (MVB) and Regsan Watkins (MSOC) were honored as Co-Male Athlete of the Year while junior women's fencer Marina Arrese was named NJIT's Female Athlete of the Year.
Freshman men's swimming and diving Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar took home NJIT's Male Newcomer of the Year and women's basketball Lyzi Litwinko was selected as NJIT's Female Newcomer of the Year.
Alvaro Gimeno | Men's Volleyball | Co-Male Athlete of the Year
An AVCA second team All-American and EIVA first team honoree, Gimeno ranked in the top four in four EIVA statistical categories -- kills per set (4th; 3.41), total kills (5rd; 218), hitting percentage (4th; .315) and service aces per set (2nd; 0.47).
A two-time EIVA Player of the Week and OffTheBlock National Attacker of the Week one time, Gimeno has recorded double-digit kills in 12 matches this season with a season-best 20 kills vs. then-ranked No. 4 Lewis.
Gimeno, a business major named to the Dean's List for six semesters, holds a 3.72 GPA.
Regsan Watkins | Men's Soccer | Co-Male Athlete of the Year
Watkins, the Highlander senior from Capetown, South Africa, led the America East Conference in total goals (7) and points (17).
The 5-foot-9 striker became the second Highlander to score a hat trick in the Division I era, joining teammate Rene White. Watkins scored the hat trick after powering NJIT to a 3-2 men's soccer America East Conference win at Stony Brook.
Watkins was selected America East Conference Player of the Week and College Soccer News National Team of the week on April 6 for his three-goal performance at Stony Brook.
His seven goals and 17 points this season ranks tied for fourth in the Division I era.
For his career, Watkins is the NCAA Division I active career leader in points (83) and ranks second in goals (35). Prior to joining the Highlanders in 2019, Watkins played two seasons (2017 & 2018) at Division II Bloomfield College, compiling 22 goals, six assists and 50 points. The two seasons with the Highlanders, Watkins has registered 13 goals, seven assists and 33 points.
Watkins, named to the Dean's List for three semesters as a business major and holds a 3.72 GPA.
Marina Arrese | Women's Fencing | Female Athlete of the Year
Arrese was selected as the recipient of the Elite 90 Award for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Fencing Championships.
She was named to the Dean's List for five semesters and carries a 4.0 grade point average, majoring in business.
The All-American finished ninth place with 13 victories out of 21 bouts for a .619 winning percentage at the NCAA Fencing Championships in the epee competition.
Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar | Men's Swimming & Diving | Male Newcomer of the Year
Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar was named America East Outstanding Rookie at the 2021 America East Championships, hosted by NJIT.
He was NJIT's top medalist with three individual and four relay medals as the Highlanders placed third at Championships.
Horsktkamp-Vinekar earned America East Male Swimmer of the Week on March 24 after accounting for four of the Highlanders' five event victories (three individual and one relay) against Binghamton
He is the holder of seven NJIT school records after his first season.
Lyzi Litwinko | Women's Basketball | Female Newcomer of the Year
Freshman Lyzi Litwinko was selected to the America East All-Rookie team and named America East Rookie of the Week five times.
She averaged 8.5ppg and 6.4rpg, including two double-doubles. She ranked fourth in assists and seventh in rebounding in the America East.
This season, she combined for seven double-doubles with a season best 14 points vs. Vermont and New Hampshire
Her 13 rebounds vs. Hartford is a personal-best mark.
She dished out at least one assist in every contest this season with a season-best 6 assists vs. UMass Lowell and New Hampshire.
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