Rutgers Men's Lacrosse Releases 2009 Schedule
Oct 07 | Men's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's lacrosse head coach Jim Stagnitta has announced the Scarlet Knights schedule for the upcoming 2009 season. The slate includes matchups with three teams that advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament, including defending national champion Syracuse.
"Each year our goal is to play a schedule that is not only challenging, but gives us the best opportunity to compete for an NCAA Tournament bid," said Stagnitta. "The 2009 schedule accomplishes this as we play the very competitive ECAC slate along with a few very strong non-league games, including matchups with UMBC, Army, Princeton and Syracuse."
The Scarlet Knights open the season with what will be a BIG EAST conference game in 2010 against Villanova on February 14. Game time for the home opener is set for 1 p.m. at the RU Turf Field. Rutgers will then embark on a four-game road trip against Manhattan, UMBC, St. Joseph's and Fairfield. The matchup with Fairfield on March 7 will be the ECAC opener for the Scarlet Knights.
RU will host three non-league games in March against Army (March 14), Princeton (March 24) and Wagner (March 31). The matchup against Wagner will be the first game of the season played at Yurcak Field. March will also feature two additional road ECAC games at Hobart and St. John's.
The first league home game will take place on April 4 when the Scarlet Knights host defending ECAC champion Loyola. Rutgers will next travel to Syracuse to take on the defending national champions on April 11. Two of RU's final three regular season games will be at home against Penn State (April 19) and versus Massachusetts (May 2). The Scarlet Knights will be making their longest road trip of the season on April 25, heading out to Denver, Colo. to compete against Georgetown.
"The addition of Villanova to the schedule helps in our transition to the BIG EAST conference in 2010," explained Stagnitta. "Every weekend we face a talented opponent and the final stretch always keeps us in the hunt and with something to play for."
The Scarlet Knights finished the 2008 season with a 6-7 overall mark and a 4-3 record in ECAC play, good enough for third place. RU returns 98 percent of its scoring offense from a season ago.
| DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | TIME/RESULT |
| Saturday, February 7 | Hofstra (Scrimmage) | RU Turf Field |
11:00 AM |
| Saturday, February 14 | VILLANOVA | RU Turf Field |
1:00 PM |
| Wednesday, February 18 | Manhattan | New York, N.Y. |
3:00 PM |
| Saturday, February 21 | UMBC | Baltimore, Md. |
1:00 PM |
| Saturday, February 28 | Saint Joseph's | Philadelphia, Pa. | |
| Saturday, March 7 | Fairfield** | Fairfield, Conn. | |
| Saturday, March 14 | ARMY | RU Turf Field |
1:00 PM |
| Saturday, March 21 | Hobart** | Geneva, N.Y. | |
| Tuesday, March 24 | PRINCETON | RU Turf Field/Yurcak Field |
7:00 PM |
| Saturday, March 28 | St. John's** | Queens, N.Y. | |
| Tuesday, March 31 | WAGNER | RU Turf Field/Yurcak Field |
7:00 PM |
| Saturday, April 4 | LOYOLA** | Yurcak Field |
1:00 PM |
| Saturday, April 11 | Syracuse | Syracuse, N.Y. | |
| Sunday, April 19 | PENN STATE** | Yurcak Field |
1:00 PM |
| Saturday, April 25 | Georgetown** | Denver, Colo. | |
| Saturday, May 2 | MASSACHUSETTS** | Yurcak Field |
1:00 PM |
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Home games in CAPS **ECAC game |
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