2023-2024 N.J.I.T. Highlanders

2023-2024 N.J.I.T. Highlanders Roster

# Player Class Pos HT WT Birth Date Birth City Nationality High School/Prep School
8 Jeffrey Akintolu Fr C 6-11 210 Feb 21, 2003 N/A England Avon Old Farms High School
2 Justin Anderson Sr SG 6-3 170 - Radnor Township (PA) United States Archbishop John Carroll High School
30 Elijah Buchanan Sr G 6-5 190 Apr 8, 1999 Bronx (NY) United States Woodstock Academy
12 J.J. Chaikovsky Fr F 6-7 208 - Manhattan Beach (CA) United States El Segundo High School
33 Kjell De Graff Sr F 6-10 230 Sep 8, 1999 Rotterdam Netherlands Canarias Basketball Academy
20 Tariq Francis Fr G 6-0 180 - Pittsburgh (PA) United States First Love Christian Academy
5 Jake Goldberg Fr G 6-2 190 - Pasadena (CA) United States IMG Academy
24 Mekhi Gray Sr G 6-4 190 - Montrose (NY) United States Putnam Science Academy
4 Adam Hess Sr F 6-4 205 - Westlake Village (CA) United States St. Thomas More School
3 Isaac Hester Fr G 5-11 180 - Ocean Township (NJ) United States Ranney School
22 Levi Lewal Fr F 6-7 195 - Laurel (MD) United States Mt. Zion Prep
10 Eyal Nankin Jr PF 6-7 210 Mar 4, 2000 Ra'anana Israel N/A
7 Cameron Piggee Fr G 6-0 180 - North Brunswick (NJ) United States Rutgers Preparatory School
1 Jalen Robinson Fr G 5-9 170 - South Orange (NJ) United States Columbia High School
0 Sebastian Robinson Fr PG 6-1 190 - Montclair (NJ) United States Roselle Catholic High School
11 Daniel Schreier Sr PF 6-9 225 Mar 22, 1999 Santa Monica (CA) United States Vermont Academy

Recent N.J.I.T. Highlanders History

Season Record Conference Rank Conference Tournament Post-Season Tournament
2023-2024 7-21 (3-13) 9th (AM East) N/A N/A
2022-2023 7-23 (4-12) 8th (AM East) 1st Rnd N/A
2021-2022 11-18 (6-12) 9th (AM East) 1st Rnd N/A
2020-2021 7-12 (7-10) 7th (AM East) 1st Rnd N/A
2019-2020 9-21 (6-10) 8th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2018-2019 22-13 (8-8) 5th (A-Sun) 2nd Rnd CIT 3rd Rnd
2017-2018 14-16 (7-7) 4th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2016-2017 11-20 (3-11) 7th (A-Sun) 1st Rnd N/A
2015-2016 20-15 (8-6) 2nd (A-Sun) 1st Rnd CIT 4th Rnd
2014-2015 21-12 N/A (INDEP) N/A CIT 4th Rnd
2013-2014 13-16 1st (INDEP) N/A N/A
2012-2013 16-13 (6-2) 1st (GWC) 2nd Rnd N/A
2011-2012 15-17 (5-5) 3rd (GWC) Runner Up N/A
2010-2011 15-15 (9-3) 2nd (GWC) 1st Rnd N/A
2009-2010 10-21 (4-8) 5th (GWC) 2nd Rnd N/A
2008-2009 1-30 N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A
2007-2008 0-29 N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A
2006-2007 5-24 N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A
2005-2006 N/A N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A
2004-2005 N/A N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A
2003-2004 N/A N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A
2002-2003 N/A N/A (INDEP) N/A N/A

2023-2024 N.J.I.T. Highlanders Awards & Honors

Player Award / Honor
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Year
Tariq Francis America East All-Rookie Team
Tariq Francis America East Player of the Week (Dec 12, 2024)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Dec 26, 2023)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Jan 22, 2024)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Feb 26, 2024)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Dec 18, 2023)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Jan 15, 2024)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Feb 12, 2024)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Jan 8, 2024)
Tariq Francis America East Rookie of the Week (Jan 29, 2024)
Sebastian Robinson America East Rookie of the Week (Nov 27, 2023)
Sebastian Robinson America East Rookie of the Week (Nov 20, 2023)
Sebastian Robinson America East Rookie of the Week (Dec 4, 2023)

2023-2024 N.J.I.T. Highlanders Depth Chart

  PG SG SF PF C
Starters T. Francis M. Gray A. Hess E. Buchanan L. Lewal
Rotation   J. Anderson      
Lim PT S. Robinson   J. Chaikovsky D. Schreier J. Akintolu
Lim PT I. Hester     E. Nankin K. De Graff
Lim PT J. Goldberg        
Lim PT J. Robinson        

2023-2024 N.J.I.T. Highlanders Stat Leaders

Player GP MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV
Tariq Francis 27 27.4 14.8 4.1 2.6 1.5 0.1 2.0
Elijah Buchanan 22 31.3 13.2 5.8 1.8 1.5 0.5 1.6
Kjell De Graff 13 25.0 10.4 4.8 0.8 0.3 1.8 1.3
Mekhi Gray 28 31.9 10.1 4.6 2.3 1.1 0.7 2.0
Adam Hess 28 30.2 9.4 3.8 0.8 0.9 0.0 0.9
Levi Lewal 24 22.6 6.5 6.0 0.1 0.6 0.7 1.2
Sebastian Robinson 28 20.9 5.6 1.9 1.9 0.7 0.1 1.5
Jeffrey Akintolu 25 9.2 2.5 2.1 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2
Justin Anderson 21 7.8 2.2 1.2 0.2 0.5 0.1 0.3
Daniel Schreier 18 11.7 2.2 1.9 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.6
Jalen Robinson 8 2.1 1.4 0.0 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.0
Isaac Hester 12 3.0 1.3 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.2
Jake Goldberg 26 9.4 1.2 1.5 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.4
J.J. Chaikovsky 7 4.1 0.9 0.9 0.3 0.0 0.6 0.0
Eyal Nankin 7 6.6 0.6 1.1 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.3

2023-2024 N.J.I.T. Highlanders Front Office

Staff Member Position Start Season Previous Job
Grant Billmeier Head Coach 2023-2024 Assistant Coach (Maryland, 2022 to 2023)
Michael Hamlin Assistant Coach 2023-2024 Director of Basketball Operations (N.J.I.T., 2022 to 2023)
Peter Lappas Assistant Coach 2023-2024 Assistant Coach (Wagner, 2022 to 2023)
RaShawn Stores Assistant Coach 2023-2024 Associate Head Coach (Manhattan, 2019 to 2023)
Thomas Messinger Assistant Coach 2023-2024 Head Coach (2021 to )
Lenny Kaplan Athletic Director 2000-2001 N/A
Myles Rudnick Director of Sports Information 2023-2024 Assistant Director of Media Relations (N.J.I.T., 2020 to 2023)
Vincent Tamburro Director of Basketball Operations 2023-2024 N/A
Matt Koscs Head Athletic Trainer 2009-2010 N/A
Bobby Fisk Head Strength and Conditioning Coach 2023-2024 Head Strength and Conditioning Coach (N.J.I.T., 2014 to 2021)