'RFamily' Epitomized in WSOC Coaching Staff
Dec 01 | Women's Soccer
By Tom Luicci
ScarletKnights.com
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - There's an extra bounce in the step of the assistants for the Rutgers women's soccer team these days, and, yes, it's the result of being part of the program's first Final Four team.
But there's more to it than that. There's an added sense of pride and appreciation for the accomplishments of this record-setting squad, with the Scarlet Knights (19-3-3) taking on Penn State (20-3-2) in Friday's College Cup national semifinal at Cary, N.C.
All four assistants - associate head coach Meghan Ryan, assistant coach Lubos Ancin, volunteer assistant Tricia DiPaolo and director of soccer operations Rich Alberto -- are Rutgers alumni.
"I don't even think unusual is the word to explain it," said Alberto. "I've never seen it before. All of us being undergrads at Rutgers and now on the staff, you almost never see something like that.
"Travelling across the country, seeing the different Big Ten schools, you don't see all four assistants coaching at their alma mater. One or two maybe. But not the whole staff. It makes this season even more special."
Ryan, a 2007 Rutgers graduate, was a standout center back for the Scarlet Knights, serving as the captain of the 2006 team that set many of the records the current squad has broken. She is in her eighth year on the staff.
Ancin, Rutgers' men's goalkeeper from 2003-05, is in his second year as an assistant, as is DiPaolo, who overcame numerous injuries to have a seven-year career with the Scarlet Knights, serving as a captain for four years.
She graduated in 2011, earning a Master's degree in Human Resource Management at Rutgers in 2013.
Alberto is a 2010 Rutgers graduate.
"This is unique. I don't think this happens anywhere else," said Ancin. "If you look at the staffs of other schools maybe they have two alumni coaching on their staff. Even that's a lot. To get four out of the five coaches on the staff graduating from the school, that's unheard of.
"I think it's because people want to come back to Rutgers and be part of this family. They know what we can accomplish here and what kind of people there are here. That's a big part of it."
Ryan says the alumni presence on the staff adds to the sense of pride as this team looks to earn the school's second-ever NCAA national championship (men's fencing in 1949 is the only one so far).
"It's something else that's unique about this team," she said. "I know a lot of other colleagues who don't get the chance to coach where they went to school. And I feel it's a privilege. There's nowhere else I'd rather be. To say I played here and now I'm coaching here, it doesn't get any better than that."
The "outsider" on the staff is head coach Mike O'Neill, who starred at Seton Hall - though he is in his 15th season now at Rutgers and second overseeing the program.
"He's a Rutgers guy now," said Ancin. "Don't call him a Seton Hall guy any more. He's a Rutgers guy."
O'Neill said there is added enjoyment to the season with four alums on the staff who truly understand the scope of what's going on in the greatest campaign in Rutgers women's soccer history.
"There's no doubt they have a special appreciation for what this team's success means," he said. "They're so proud of Rutgers University and they're such good people. I'm lucky to be working side by side with them every day. They work so hard, they work so hard for the program and the University, and there's no doubt in my mind they bleed Scarlet red.
"I'm an honorary Rutgers guy now. Coming from Seton Hall, they're nice to me."
Ryan and DiPaolo said alumni and fan support has been overwhelming as the Scarlet Knights have advanced through the first four rounds of the NCAA Tournament, doing so without yielding a goal to raise the team's record shutout total to 19.
The Rutgers-Penn State semifinal (5 p.m., ESPNU) will be the third meeting this season between the Big Ten rivals, with each winning at home. The winner advances to Sunday's national championship game to face the Duke-Florida State winner.
"I still can't really fathom how much making the College Cup means because I'm still getting so many text messages, so many phone calls and emails from alums," said Ryan. "The amount of support being shown by our alumni, really throughout the whole year, has been unbelievable. Everyone is wearing their `R.' Everyone is proud to say they're a Scarlet Knight.
"I think this team has allowed that to happen. They've made it cool to say you're a Scarlet Knight."
DiPaolo said it's hard not to be swept up in seeing how people throughout the state and beyond have noticed and reacted to this team.
"The support from the alumni has been incredible, especially from the former players who helped build the foundation that enabled us to reach this level," she said. "So many people have supported us, so many people are proud of Rutgers and what this team has accomplished. Even in the Athletic Department the support has been astonishing, from emails to texts to people stopping by the office.
"Around New Jersey people know the type of year we're having. If you walk into the grocery store and you're wearing a Rutgers soccer shirt people want to talk to you about it. It's really been awesome.
"The four assistants all being Rutgers alums adds to it for all of us. Rutgers is the kind of place, if you look through all the staffs here, that alums come back to so they can coach here. It's a place you want to call home forever."
