Ladehoff Named First Team All-America East and Rookie of the Year to Lead Seven NJIT Honorees

Published: Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Kevin Putsky, Aidan Kidd Tabbed Second Team All-America East

The America East Conference announced its 2024 baseball postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon and NJIT was well-represented with seven student-athletes recognized. 

Freshman standout Cade Ladehoff led the way as he was named First Team All-America East and America East Rookie of the Year. Ladehoff enters the America East Conference Tournament with a program record and America East-best 55 RBIs. The rookie also leads NJIT in slugging percentage (.556) is tied for the team-lead with 11 home runs, the most ever for a freshman at NJIT. Ladehoff's 72 hits also lead the America East.

Senior left-hander Aidan Kidd and graduate student right fielder Kevin Putsky were both named Second Team All-America East. Kidd, who was named First Team All-America East last season, leads the conference in strikeouts with 87, 10 more than any other pitcher. Kidd also has four wins, which is second on the Highlanders and tied for sixth in the America East. 

Three Highlanders - Ladehoff, Cole Campbell, and AJ Soldra - were named to the America East All-Rookie Team. The three lead the Highlanders in batting average with Soldra's .333 leading the way and Campbell (.325) and Ladehoff (.323) not far behind. Campbell led all America East Rookies this season with four Rookie of the Week awards, while Ladehoff and Soldra each earned the weekly recognition once. 

Also honored from NJIT were three America East All-Academic honorees, Kidd, Albert Choi, and Luke Longo. Kidd received his undergraduate degree in Business earlier this month, while Longo earned his Master's in Business and Choi is working on a second degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Ladehoff is the second player to be named America East Rookie of the Year in NJIT's four years in the league. He joins Albert Choi, who recieved the honor in 2021. 

The third-seeded Highlanders will open up play at the America East Tournament on Wednesday when they take on host and sixth-seeded Binghamton. First pitch of the elimination game is slated for 5pm at the Binghamton Baseball Complex in Vestal, NY.