Rutgers Scarlet Knights

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

" Scarlet Knights Building Brick By Brick on the Banks

Every year, Rutgers head coach Melissa Lehman gives each player a brick. She tells them to paint a word on it that describes what they’ll bring to the team. Not everyone gets on the field — some athletes are “hype” players who help teammates stay confident in tight spots. Others are always there to support or lend a hand, on or off the field.

In 2021, Lehman’s first full season at the helm, the Scarlet Knights not only built a solid foundation but also began to rise. It was a year of firsts. They scored their first wins in program history over Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Maryland. Those victories helped them secure an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 1999. The Scarlet Knights weren’t just happy to be there — they beat then-No. 10 Drexel for their first tournament win. 


But Rutgers is just getting started.
“We are setting a new foundation here at Rutgers lacrosse,” says graduate student and Jersey native Taralyn Naslonski. “Everything we do is building on past successes….We’re not done yet.”

Naslonski grew up going to Rutgers athletic events as a child. Her parents went there, and she committed under the previous staff. When Lehman came on board, she bought into the brick-by-brick mentality and currently leads the team with 12 goals.
“She gives everything she has to this team,” Lehman says. “Whether it’s her scoring or someone else or her on the ride, she is going to leave it all out on the field...She has that offensive firepower. She is fast, has a nose for the cage and loves to shoot.”
Naslonski’s play has helped the Scarlet Knights get off to a 3-0 start, including a come-from-behind road win over Georgetown Saturday. 



It’s easy to say that it’s only February. No lacrosse team wants to peak when there’s still snow on the ground in the northeast. The Scarlet Knights have long-term goals for the season — they’re hosting the Big Ten championship and hope to be in the title game and play deeper into the NCAA Tournament. But part of brick-by-brick is staying in the moment.
“What matters is what is right in front of us and what we can control,” Lehman says. “It’s a new year. We have new faces on our team. It’s about us. Every day and every competition is about what we are bringing.”
One of those new faces is Stephanie Kelly, a transfer from Saint Joseph’s and the 2021 Atlantic-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Kelly currently leads the team with 16 points on seven goals and nine assists.
“She has such a great IQ and understanding of the game,” Lehman says. “We had a lot of different cutting threats. She has great vision and timing and is looking for her teammates.”

Junior Cassidy Spilis, a 2021 All-American, also returns and has scored nine times to start the season. She’s second in draw controls with 11, and her versatility on both ends of the field has helped spearhead the team’s success.


“She is fearless, and she wants to win,” Lehman says. “She is a player who will take over a game when you need her to.”
Junior Meghan Ball, another 2021 All-American, is once again proving to be a force on defense and in the circle. A consistently solid 1v1 defender, Ball leads the team in caused turnovers (5) and draws (18).

“She’s the backup, caused turnover and groundball queen,” Lehman says. “She gets it done.... She makes big plays when we need her to.”
Though the Scarlet Knights’ lineup is stacked with returning talent, Lehman does have her eye on the future. Lehman describes the team — and all Rutgers athletes — as “Jersey Tough,” and the Knights have 20 players from the Garden State on the roster. But it’s a competitive landscape. Stony Brook is two hours away, and Syracuse is a five-hour drive. Then, there are the Pennsylvania-based teams, like Penn, Penn State and Drexel. But Lehman has embraced the challenge, and she’s looking for players who are willing to do the same.

“ players who understand you earn wins,” Lehman says. “That’s what we talk about with our players. Nothing comes easy. Success doesn’t come easy, and it’s about how much you want to put in and fight to get to where you want to go.” 



It’s a necessary mentality in the Big Ten, which boasts legendary lacrosse powerhouses in Maryland and Northwestern. The programs have combined for 22 national titles. Lehman and Rutgers broke through against Maryland last year in a statement-making 16-14 win on April 18. Still, RU has nothing but respect for what its conference opponents have accomplished over the decades. But the team isn’t hiding from the challenge of rising to the occasion, either.

“Those programs have set a standard in the lacrosse world,” Lehman says. “We can use them as a bar for where we are, what we need to work on and consistently improve ourselves. It’s all of the little victories within the Big Ten that give us confidence and belief in ourselves. It’s about trusting what you’re doing and being confident with your team that when you step out on game day, you have to believe in your program.” 
The Scarlet Knights won’t be sneaking up on teams like Maryland this year, though. They’ve proven to be a formidable opponent and threat in the Big Ten. The target may be new, but the mindset is the same.


“That just goes back to the grit mentality,” Naslonski says. 'Melissa talks about it every day in practice — fighting for those 50-50 balls, not giving up, playing four quarters and leaving it all on the field. We’re a team that isn’t going to back down to anyone.'"

https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... anks/58980

[Brownlax]

" Scarlet Knights Building Brick By Brick on the Banks

Every year, Rutgers head coach Melissa Lehman gives each player a brick. She tells them to paint a word on it that describes what they’ll bring to the team. Not everyone gets on the field — some athletes are “hype” players who help teammates stay confident in tight spots. Others are always there to support or lend a hand, on or off the field.

In 2021, Lehman’s first full season at the helm, the Scarlet Knights not only built a solid foundation but also began to rise. It was a year of firsts. They scored their first wins in program history over Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Maryland. Those victories helped them secure an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 1999. The Scarlet Knights weren’t just happy to be there — they beat then-No. 10 Drexel for their first tournament win. 


But Rutgers is just getting started.
“We are setting a new foundation here at Rutgers lacrosse,” says graduate student and Jersey native Taralyn Naslonski. “Everything we do is building on past successes….We’re not done yet.”

Naslonski grew up going to Rutgers athletic events as a child. Her parents went there, and she committed under the previous staff. When Lehman came on board, she bought into the brick-by-brick mentality and currently leads the team with 12 goals.
“She gives everything she has to this team,” Lehman says. “Whether it’s her scoring or someone else or her on the ride, she is going to leave it all out on the field...She has that offensive firepower. She is fast, has a nose for the cage and loves to shoot.”
Naslonski’s play has helped the Scarlet Knights get off to a 3-0 start, including a come-from-behind road win over Georgetown Saturday. 



It’s easy to say that it’s only February. No lacrosse team wants to peak when there’s still snow on the ground in the northeast. The Scarlet Knights have long-term goals for the season — they’re hosting the Big Ten championship and hope to be in the title game and play deeper into the NCAA Tournament. But part of brick-by-brick is staying in the moment.
“What matters is what is right in front of us and what we can control,” Lehman says. “It’s a new year. We have new faces on our team. It’s about us. Every day and every competition is about what we are bringing.”
One of those new faces is Stephanie Kelly, a transfer from Saint Joseph’s and the 2021 Atlantic-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Kelly currently leads the team with 16 points on seven goals and nine assists.
“She has such a great IQ and understanding of the game,” Lehman says. “We had a lot of different cutting threats. She has great vision and timing and is looking for her teammates.”

Junior Cassidy Spilis, a 2021 All-American, also returns and has scored nine times to start the season. She’s second in draw controls with 11, and her versatility on both ends of the field has helped spearhead the team’s success.


“She is fearless, and she wants to win,” Lehman says. “She is a player who will take over a game when you need her to.”
Junior Meghan Ball, another 2021 All-American, is once again proving to be a force on defense and in the circle. A consistently solid 1v1 defender, Ball leads the team in caused turnovers (5) and draws (18).

“She’s the backup, caused turnover and groundball queen,” Lehman says. “She gets it done.... She makes big plays when we need her to.”
Though the Scarlet Knights’ lineup is stacked with returning talent, Lehman does have her eye on the future. Lehman describes the team — and all Rutgers athletes — as “Jersey Tough,” and the Knights have 20 players from the Garden State on the roster. But it’s a competitive landscape. Stony Brook is two hours away, and Syracuse is a five-hour drive. Then, there are the Pennsylvania-based teams, like Penn, Penn State and Drexel. But Lehman has embraced the challenge, and she’s looking for players who are willing to do the same.

“ players who understand you earn wins,” Lehman says. “That’s what we talk about with our players. Nothing comes easy. Success doesn’t come easy, and it’s about how much you want to put in and fight to get to where you want to go.” 



It’s a necessary mentality in the Big Ten, which boasts legendary lacrosse powerhouses in Maryland and Northwestern. The programs have combined for 22 national titles. Lehman and Rutgers broke through against Maryland last year in a statement-making 16-14 win on April 18. Still, RU has nothing but respect for what its conference opponents have accomplished over the decades. But the team isn’t hiding from the challenge of rising to the occasion, either.

“Those programs have set a standard in the lacrosse world,” Lehman says. “We can use them as a bar for where we are, what we need to work on and consistently improve ourselves. It’s all of the little victories within the Big Ten that give us confidence and belief in ourselves. It’s about trusting what you’re doing and being confident with your team that when you step out on game day, you have to believe in your program.” 
The Scarlet Knights won’t be sneaking up on teams like Maryland this year, though. They’ve proven to be a formidable opponent and threat in the Big Ten. The target may be new, but the mindset is the same.


“That just goes back to the grit mentality,” Naslonski says. 'Melissa talks about it every day in practice — fighting for those 50-50 balls, not giving up, playing four quarters and leaving it all on the field. We’re a team that isn’t going to back down to anyone.'"

https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/ ... anks/58980

I love what Melissa Lehman is building at Rutgers and it seems like the kids have all bought int - one brick at a time.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I love what Melissa Lehman is building at Rutgers and it seems like the kids have all bought int - one brick at a time.

Me too. Very enjoyable team to watch. It’s amazing the difference one coach can make.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Another win for the Scarlet Knights.

https://scarletknights.com/news/2022/3/ ... mouth.aspx


Taralyn Naslonski--truckin'

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I thought this was a game Rutgers could have lost when I saw it on Wednesday's schedule. Road game against a tough mid-tier ranked #18 Temple. So, a mildly impressive win for the Scarlet Knights. Grad add Stephanie Kelly had another great game dishing 6 times and scoring once. Through 7 games Kelly leads the team in points (34) and assists (22).

Tough stretch coming up: at JMU, at Maryland, vs Hop, vs Michigan, vs Az St, at Northwestern. They'll do well to go 3-3.

https://scarletknights.com/news/2022/3/ ... eated.aspx

[livelovelax]

JMU vs Rutgers moved to Sunday 1pm, better weather.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Preview of the game against Maryland this weekend:

https://scarletknights.com/news/2022/3/ ... yland.aspx

[LarryGamLax]

Rutgers with a 13-8 victory over Michigan. This is a very good Michigan team with a good coach(Hannah Neilsen), BUT, MELISSA LEHMAN is showing everyone that she is establishing herself as a coach to be reckoned with. What she has done in a short time at Rutgers is nothing short of Spectacular.

Maybe it's time some of the NJ HS stars, who wouldn't consider the Piscataway Palace and went running for other places, to stop and reconsider being a Scarlet Knight. Just sayin...

[laxlaxlax]

Rutgers with a 13-8 victory over Michigan. This is a very good Michigan with a good coach(Hannah Neilsen), BUT, MELISSA LEHMAN is showing everyone that she is establishing herself as a coach to be reckoned with. What she has done in a short time at Rutgers is nothing short of Spectacular.

Maybe it's time some of the NJ HS stars, who wouldn't consider the Piscataway Palace and went running for other places, to stop and reconsider being a Scarlet Knight. Just sayin...

Just went to turn the game on, disappointed I hadn’t checked sooner and it had been moved earlier in the day.

What a great result for Rutgers, they are really building on a solid year in 2021 and making a big impact this year. Really nice to see!

[livelovelax]

Each year, some of the best players from South Jersey make their way to Rutgers. Spilis, Campo, Perry, Clothier are starting and contributing on that roster and another couple have committed in the ensuing years. There are an additional several South Jersey players on the roster that are competing and making the team better. It appears that the North Jersey players still want to go to the "name" schools that mommy and daddy want them to attend.

Melissa is doing a great job and something tells me more Jersey girls will start looking to Rutgers. If not, recruit the NY and Pa kids who want to play their instead. The facilities are top notch with a stadium to come soon. The education is also highly ranked nationally.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I'm still reserved about this team. They have that less than 2 weeks ago 16-6 loss to Maryland blemishing their record and serving as a reminder that they aren't ready to run with the big dogs just yet. They allowed the Terps to score 9 of the last 10 goals in that game. They've got Arizona St and then another big dog test in Evanston next Thursday. We'll see where they are next Friday.