Alyssa Albanese, Basketball
Junior, Information Technology
Height: 5’3”
Hometown: Fort Washington, MD
Alyssa Albanese has been selected as NJIT Female Athlete of the Week for her performance during the Highlanders win against Incarnate Word.
The junior scored a season-high 16 points for the visiting Highlanders in a 57-48 win at University of the Incarnate Word. Albanese, the Highlanders point guard, shot 3-for-8 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line, scoring a season-high 16 points, three shy her career-high 19 points vs. Texas-Pan American on January 12, 2013. The junior guard dished out a game-high 5 assists and pulled down four rebounds for the Highlanders.
NJIT will close out the home portion of its schedule on March 4 when the Highlanders host first-time opponent UMass-Lowell in the Fleisher Athletic Center at 7pm. In pre-game ceremonies, the Highlanders will honor graduating seniors Uju Nwankwo and Shakia Robinson.
2012-13: Led the team with 77 assists (2.5apg). Dished out a career-high seven assists vs. Utah Valley (Jan. 26). Appeared in 31 contests (10 starts). Scored a career-high 18 points vs. Texas-Pan American on (Jan 12). Scored 108 points in her second season at NJIT.
2011-12: Played in every game but one (29) at the point guard position. Averaged 15.6mpg as a freshman. Scored a season-high 10 points at Lehigh (Dec. 7) while dishing out a season-high six assists vs. Chicago State (Mar 3).
Brian Capozzola, Swimming
Sophomore, Biomedical Engineering
Height: 6’0”
Hometown: Toms River, NJ
Brian Capozzola has been selected as NJIT Male Athlete of the Week for his performance during the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association Championships.
On day 2 of the championships, the sophomore qualified 6th in the 50 yard freestyle with a time of 20.76 at prelims, barely edging out his old record set from March 2013. In finals he dropped time again tying for 3rd place overall and resetting his school record again with a time of 20.52. This marked the first time a Highlander reached the podium and placed at CCSA’s.
The 200 freestyle relay placed 6th overall with a time of 1:25.27 which resets the school record by almost 2 seconds which was set in March of 2013. The relay consisted of freshman Michael Sungurov, freshman Jack Matusiak, Anthony Czar and Capozzola. Capozzola also noted a lifetime best in his 50 free relay split going under 20 seconds, at a supersonic 19.76. His split is also noted as one of the fastest 50 freestyle relays splits of the meet overall.
On the final day, Capozzola placed 6th in the preliminary 100 yard freestyle with a new school record of 45.47, dropping an incredible 0.78 seconds. The previous school record of 46.25 was held also by Capozzola set in February 2013.
Capozzola swam the exact same time at finals in the 100 yard freestyle. He placed 6th overall with his time of 45.47.
2012-13: Earned METS all-conference in the 200 freestyle and 100 freestyle while receiving METS honorable mention in the 50 freestyle. Capozzola took fifth in the 50 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle. Currently holds three NJIT individual records and four relay records. Qualified for the ECAC Open Swim Championship held at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. NJIT placed 12th out of 29 declared Division I and III teams in the team standings ahead of America East rivals Maine and Binghamton, and region rival St. Francis (NY).
