Category: Rutgers field hockey

No. 12 Rutgers field hockey resumes road trip against Villanova and No. 15 Princeton

No. 12 Rutgers field hockey continues their season-opening road trip, as they travel to Villanova on Friday and No. 15 Princeton on Sunday.

No. 12 Rutgers field hockey (4-0) continues their season-opening road trip this weekend, as they travel to Villanova (2-1) on Friday and No. 15 Princeton (0-2) on Sunday. The Scarlet Knights continue to climb the national rankings, moving four spots to No. 12 after starting the season 4-0.

Rutgers started their season-opening road trip in California, going 3-0, defeating UC Davis, Stanford, and Cal. In their previous matchup, the Scarlet Knights defeated No. 15 Uconn 2-1 in double overtime last weekend.

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Players to watch for Rutgers heading into this weekend’s games are juniors Guillwemina Causarano and Sophia Howard. Causarano, from Salta, Argentina, is the Rutgers’ team leader in goals with three in four games. On the other hand, Howard, from Auckland, New Zealand, is ranked first in the nation in save percentage (.895) and second in goals-against-average. Also, Howard is third in the Big Ten in saves per game (4.25), and the Scarlet Knights are ranked fourth in shutouts per game.

Villanova holds a 19-15-1 all-time series record, but Rutgers defeated the Wildcats the last two times. The two teams played in 2015 when the Scarlet Knights defeated the Wildcats 5-2 and then in 2013 with Rutgers winning 3-2.

On Sunday, the Scarlet Knights will travel to Princeton to take on the No. 15 ranked Tigers. The Tigers and the Scarlet Knights will meet for the 27th time, with Princeton holding a 19-16-1 all-time series record. Princeton started the 2023 season with two losses to No. 9 Louisville and No. 1 North Carolina, falling in the national ranking from No. 10 to No. 15.

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Big result: No. 16 Rutgers field hockey wins at No. 15 UCONN

On Friday, No. 16 Rutgers field hockey (4-0) defeated No. 15 UCONN (1-2) 2-1 in double overtime.

It may be early September, but Rutgers women’s field hockey got a huge win on Friday. On the road, No. 16 Rutgers field hockey (4-0) defeated No. 15 UCONN (1-2) 2-1 in double overtime. Rutgers had seven of the first nine shots through 20 minutes of play but would manage to go scoreless through the first three quarters.

The first lead of the game came in the third quarter when Rutgers’ Guillerm Causarano scored her first goal of the season (36:46), giving the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead. UCONN would tie the game a few minutes later (43:22) when Julia Bressler scored her first goal of the season, tying the game at 1-1.

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Each team would go scoreless in the fourth quarter and the first overtime, leading to double overtime. Rutgers’ Paulina Niklaus scored the game-winner during the 80th minute to give the Scarlet Knights the victory over the Huskies.

 

Even though the Huskies outshot the Scarlet Knights 17 to 21, Rutgers still managed to pull out the victory to stay undefeated. Rutgers redshirt junior Sophia Howard had a stellar performance as the goalkeeper, saving nine shots in 80 minutes of action. After the first four games in the 2023 season, Howard has only let up two goals.

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The Scarlet Knights are road warriors, winning four straight road games to start the 2023 season. Rutgers is back in action next Friday (September 8, 2023) when they travel to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, to take on Villanova.

 

Which Rutgers Field Hockey player was named Preseason Player to Watch?

Rutgers field hockey had three players recognized by the Big Ten Conference as the Preseason Players to Watch heading into the 2023 season.

Rutgers field hockey had three players recognized by the Big Ten Conference as the Preseason Players to Watch heading into the 2023 season.

Ava Cickavage, Iris Langejans, and Puch Winter received Preseasons honors for the No. 16 Scarlet Knights.

Cickavage, a sophomore from Moorestown, New Jersey, is ready to play her first season with the Scarlet Knight after transferring from Wake Forest. While playing at Wake Forest, Cickavage appeared in 20 games as a freshman. She made three starts, recording 472 minutes, and attempted nine shots. Also, she was a top-50 player in the 2022 class and was selected to attend the U-21 Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp.

A redshirt senior, Langejans was named to her second consecutive Preseason Player to Watch heading into this season. In 2022, Langejans received First Team All-Big Ten, First Team All-Region, and Third Team All-American. She started all 18 games and recorded four goals with a team-high eight assists. Also, the native from Almelo, Netherlands, had a team-high 16 points.

Winter, the redshirt sophomore from Deventer, Netherlands, received the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year award in 2022. She started all 18 games at center back last season, recording three goals with one assist and a team-high four defensive saves. Her four defensive saves were third in the Big Ten (15th nationally).

The Scarlet Knights open their 2023 season this weekend in California when Rutgers faces UC Davis on Friday, Stanford on Sunday, and Cal on Monday.

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Rutgers field hockey adds former Temple star Julianne Kopec

Julianne Kopec joins Rutgers field hockey.

On Wednesday, Rutgers field hockey upgraded their roster for next season with the addition of Julianne Kopec. The New Jersey native is transferring to Rutgers from Temple and was previously an all-conference and all-region selection. After two seasons in the Big East, she takes her talents to the Big Ten.

During her time with the Owls, Kopec started in 27 games, scoring 11 goals. She also recorded 22 points and came through in clutch situations with five game-winning goals. Due to her previous success, many in Piscataway, including Rutgers head coach Meredith Civico are excited to see the impact she will make.

“Joining us as a transfer, Julianne already has had a taste of NCAA hockey,” Civico told Rutgers athletics. “I have no doubt she can make an impact as she competes in the Big Ten. Fast, strong on the ball and with an eye for goal, Julianne can play in a variety of positions, and in each in she will give her all.”

As Kopec prepares for her first season as a Scarlet Knight, she will look to add to an already impressive resume. Her list of accolades includes a Big East Freshman of the Week award and two Big East Weekly Honor Roll placements.

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Additionally, she was previously invited to the USA Field Hockey 2023 and U-21 Development Squad Selection Camp. Kopec was selected following her performance at the 2022 Senior Nexus Championship.

While the season is still months away, the addition of Kopec has created a lot of excitement for the future at Rutgers.

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After big weekend upset, Rutgers field hockey moves up three spots

Rutgers field hockey moves up in the latest poll.

Rutgers field hockey had a statement win over the weekend, taking down then No. 3 Northwestern

With the win over the weekend, Rutgers is now 7-6 on the season and sits at No. 20 in the latest NFHCA poll. The Scarlet Knights moved up three spots this week with the win.

The ranking shows the depth of the Big Ten. Four of the top five teams in the poll are from the Big Ten:

  • No. 2 Maryland
  • No. 3 Northwestern
  • No. 4 Penn State
  • No. 5 Iowa

No. 10 Michigan and No. 21 Ohio State round out the rankings for this week.

The Scarlet Knights are No. 17 in the latest field hockey RPI update from Monday.

Last season, Rutgers hosted and won the Big Ten Tournament, marking the first time in program history that the Scarlet Knights won the conference tournament.

Rutgers plays at No. 2 Maryland this Sunday.

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Rutgers field hockey drops, remains ranked in latest poll

Rutgers field hockey moves down a few spots in the latest coaches poll.

It hasn’t been an easy start to the season for Rutgers field hockey, but Rutgers still remains ranked among the top 25 programs in the country.

Monday’s release of the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll sees Rutgers at No. 15, down seven spots from their preseason ranking. It was, along with No. 24 Delaware, the biggest drop down the rankings for any ranked program.

Rutgers is now 2-2 on the season. They lost their first two games of the season to No. 16 Duke (up two spots this week) and No. 12 St. Joseph’s (up four spots).

Topping the poll is No. 1 Northwestern, getting 29 of the 41 first-place votes. North Carolina is second followed by No. 3 Maryland and No. 4 Michigan. There are a total of five Big Ten teams in the poll’s top 10.

Over the weekend, Rutgers beat then No. 15 UConn (the Huskies moved up to No. 8 this week despite the loss).

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Last season, the Scarlet Knights won the NCAA Tournament and went 19-4, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Three Rutgers Field Hockey Players Named as Players to Watch in 2022

Three Rutgers field hockey players named to Big Ten Preseason Watch List

The Big Ten Conference announced its 2022 field hockey preseason honors on Tuesday, and three Rutgers student-athletes were named Preseason Players to Watch on Wednesday.

Forward Lucy Bannatyne, midfielder Guillermina Causarano, and halfback Iris Langejans were recognized after each had a stellar debut campaign for the Scarlet Knights in 2021, being main contributors on the eventual Big Ten Tournament championship squad.

Bannatyne started in 16 of the 21 games she played in. The Auckland, New Zealand native tied for the team lead with eight goals, the most goals for a Rutgers freshman since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference. She also added one assist to finish second on team with 17 points. The freshman earned one Big Ten Freshman of the Week award last year.

Causarano started 21 of her 23 games played in the midfield. Also a freshman, she had one goal and two assists, with the goal coming as the game-winner over No. 20 Monmouth. The Salta, Argentina native earned her Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades as a result.

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Langejans was a starter all year in her first season as a Scarlet Knight.The redshirt junior should start all year at right halfback once again. The Almelo, Netherlands native earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice in 2021, and had one assist across 23 starts.

The field hockey team is ranked No. 8 in the NFHCA National Coaches Poll. They kick off their schedule this weekend, hosting the “Battle on the Banks” tournament. The tourney will feature some stiff competition, as Rutgers will welcome No. 18 Duke and No. 16 St. Joe’s in a round robin style event. Admission to all three games is free. Each game will be live streamed on B1G+.

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Rutgers field hockey is through to the second round with Delaware win

Rutgers field hockey advanced in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 35 years.

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Rutgers field hockey booked their ticket to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 2-1 win over Delaware. The win was the first for the program in the NCAA Tournament since 1986 for Rutgers.

A first half goal by Liz Romano (17:59) and a second half goal at 53:33 by Lucy Bannatyne staked Rutgers to the lead; Milena Redlingshoefer assisted on both Rutgers goals. Delaware answered back five minutes after Bannatyne’s goal with a goal from Grace Hoepfner to make it close.

Rutgers held on and scrapped through for the win.

“It’s one game at a time for us and this one was game one,” head coach Meredith Civico said. “That’s our approach to Sunday. We’ll debrief, recover, and prepare for our next game on Sunday.”

 

Earlier this season, Rutgers beat Delaware 2-0 on the road. Delaware came into the tournament ranked No. 17 in the latest NFHCA poll.

It was a big win for Rutgers, who entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed. They will play the winner of No. 11 St. Joe’s and No. 9 Liberty on Sunday.

Rutgers is coming off a tremendous regular season in the Big Ten and followed that up by winning the Big Ten Tournament with a 1-0 win over Michigan this past Sunday. The Scarlet Knights hosted the tournament this year.

Where are Rutgers women’s soccer and field hockey ranked this week?

Two Rutgers programs are top five nationally in the latest polls.

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After a big week in their respective Big Ten Tournaments, Rutgers field hockey and women’s soccer remain near the very top of their polls as both programs head into the NCAA Tournament.

It has been a historic fall athletic season for both the women’s soccer program and field hockey, with conference success and unprecedented national rankings for each team.

Rutgers field hockey not only goes into the week as the NCAA Tournament’s top seed but the overall No. 1 team in the nation according to the latest National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Coaches Poll. Rutgers rose from third in last week’s poll based off a triumph in the Big Ten Tournament championship, beating Michigan at home 1-0.

The top five programs in the poll are all from the Big Ten: No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Iowa, No. 4 Penn State and No. 5 Maryland.

For the women’s soccer team, they remain top five in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll despite a 1-0 setback to Michigan in their championship game on Sunday. Even with the Big Ten Tournament loss, Rutgers is still a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament and will host Bucknell on Nov. 13 at Yurcak Field.

Rutgers field hockey gets top seed in NCAA Tournament, has No. 1 RPI

Rutgers field hockey earns top NCAA seed, No. 1 RPI in the nation.

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Rutgers field hockey is now No. 1 in the nation in RPI, fresh off capturing the first Big Ten Tournament in program history. At 18-3, the Scarlet Knights are the top overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Rutgers will play on Nov. 12 in the NCAA Tournament’s first round against the winner of Fairfield (14-7) at No. 8 Delaware (12-8), who are playing in the ‘Opening Round’ on Nov. 10. The Final Four and the championship will be played this year in Ann Arbor.

The Scarlet Knights got the top billing in the tournament following a 1-0 win over Michigan on Sunday afternoon.  They are one of five Big Ten teams to make the field of 18 programs in the tournament that includes Rutgers, No. 2 Iowa, No. 3 Michigan, No. 4 Penn State, and Maryland.

 

The first-round game will be at home for Rutgers. Should the Scarlet Knights advance, they would also host the second-round game.

The program has never advanced beyond the second round of the NCAA Tournament, having done so twice in 1984 and 1986.