Saylor, Magruder, Caputo Garner America East Accolades

Published: Monday, November 1, 2021

Three members of the NJIT women's soccer team have earned the distinction of being the first Highlanders to garner postseason awards from the America East Conference.

Redshirt junior Molly Saylor, senior Siani Magruder, and freshman Caroline Caputo each picked up awards from the conference on Friday afternoon, one day after clinching a spot in the America East Tournament for the first time in program history.

Saylor was named Second Team All-Conference and also earned a spot on the America East All-Academic Team. The South Park, PA native led the America East in total saves (99) and shutouts (8), and shutouts per game (.444) while placing in the top five in saves per game (5.50, 4th). Saylor is now tied for the NJIT school in career shutouts, tying former Highlander great Amelia Sapirman (2016-18). She also eclipsed 200 career saves this season (247 entering Sunday) and matched her career-best of ten saves in a game twice this year (Aug. 29 at Pittsburgh, Oct. 14 at UMBC). Saylor also registered her first career point against Binghamton on Oct. 10 - an assist on an Angela Harris score.

Academically, Saylor has maintained a grade point average of 3.80 and will graduate NJIT with a degree in civil engineering.

Magruder was selected as one of three Second Team All-Conference defenders after helping lead an NJIT backline that registered eight total shutouts (seven wins, one draw), including four straight to reach the playoffs. The Egg Harbor Township native anchored a Highlander defense that allowed the second-fewest goals (6; tied) and produced the second best save percentage (.900) during conference play. By adding to her Second Team All-ASUN honor from 2019, Magruder becomes the first Highlander to garner multiple first or second team accolades in a career since former Highlander standout Arianna Gerber (2016 ASUN Second Team, 2018 ASUN First Team).

Both Saylor (Oct. 18) and Magruder (Sept. 7) were two of three Highlanders to earn America East Defensive Player of the Week honors during the 2021 campaign (Madison Taibl was honored on Oct. 25).

Caputo ended her first collegiate season by being named to the All-Rookie Team. The Spring Lake Heights native was part of an impactful freshman class for the Highlanders, starting the first eight games of her career and seeing action in 15 of 18 contests. Caputo recorded her first career points - a pair of assists - in back-to-back games against Saint Peter's (Sept. 4) and Rider (Sept. 8) and was one of four newcomers to log two points on the year (Ciara Adams, Aleesha Deshmukh, and Taylor Pape were the others). Caputo led the Highlanders in shots on goal (14-of-20) and was third in total shots (20).

Together, the trio helped NJIT - tabbed to finish tied for eighth in the preseason - finish tied for second in the league and reach conference postseason play for the first time since 2019. That sixth-seeded 2019 squad reached the ASUN Conference semifinals after a quarterfinal upset of No. 3 seed Liberty. The conference finish is NJIT's best since earning a two-seed in the 2018 ASUN Conference tournament.