What’s the future look like for Rutgers men’s lacrosse?
Brian Brecht has turned the Rutgers men’s lacrosse program into a national name, one that is capable of recruiting at a high level and then performing on the big stage.
As they head into a weekend match-up with No. 3 UPenn, Rutgers is currently 14-3 (4-1 Big Ten). A senior-laden team certainly has the ability to make a run in the NCAA Tournament this year, as evidenced by their strong start in the first round this past weekend.
The Scarlet Knights were eighth in the most recent Inside Lacrosse rankings.
But what does the future look like for Rutgers lacrosse? In a conference that features a juggernaut (Maryland) and some traditional blueblood programs in the sport (Johns Hopkins), the Scarlet Knights will continue to need to reload the program.
For the class of 2022, Rutgers came in No. 25 in the nation with a group of incoming freshmen that features four players ranked as four-star recruits and six recruits ranked as three-stars by Inside Lacrosse.
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And the 2023 recruiting class, while a bit slow to take off, features two players, both ranked as four-stars.
It is certainly valid to consider where things stand for Rutgers as far as replenishing the talent pool within the program. A number of impactful seniors are ready to graduate, including the attacking trio of Mitch Bartolo (41 goals, 16 assists), Ronan Jacoby (35 goals, 11 asissts) and Brian Cameron (32 goals, 10 assists).
The team has been built successfully the past two years via the transfer portal, and more of the same should be expected this offseason. Brecht has been tremendous in the portal, identifying talent and then seamlessly blending in this talent into his roster.
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Long-term, continuing to make inroads in New Jersey would be helpful for Rutgers for sure, especially given the depth and breadth of talent in this area. Three of the 10 recruits in the class of 2022 are from New Jersey. Brecht would likely want that number to be higher if possible.
And while there is certainly a bias built into the state’s lacrosse community towards the traditional ACC powerhouses as well as the Patriot League and understandably the Ivy League, atmospheres such as Sunday will certainly help sell the program.
Before a standing-room-only crowd of 5,212 at Yurcak Field, Sunday’s win over Harvard certainly felt big for the program. Instead of that same crowd rattling around massive SHI Stadium, there was an intense feel to the NCAA Tournament game that the more intimate setting of Yurcak provided.
It is obvious from Sunday’s turnout – and how the team responded – that the lacrosse programs need to get out from SHI Stadium.
That ‘Amen’ you just heard? It came from football head coach Greg Schiano who probably would be in favor of that too.
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But the lacrosse programs need to be treated like the national programs that they are and not second-class citizens. The Yurcak experience underscored that need.
The women’s program has made consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and has been consistently a top 20 team this season. The men are firmly a top 10 program the past two years.
Playing before a packed house on Sunday before a frothy atmosphere looked and felt big-time, something that can only help both the lacrosse programs with recruiting.
