Men’s Lacrosse Season Review

Jun 18 | Men's Lacrosse

2018 Men's Lacrosse Stats Package 2018 Season Photo Gallery Penn State Win Highlight Video Syracuse Win Highlight Video Michigan Win Highlight Video Alumni Appreciation Day Video Inside the Weight Room Video Career Development Day Video

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's lacrosse recently completed an outstanding 2018 campaign. The Scarlet Knights won nine games, marking the first time in program history the team won at least nine games in three straight seasons. RU defeated four ranked teams and qualified for the Big Ten Tournament for the second time in program history.

"The 2018 season was very successful, led by the senior class," head coach Brian Brecht. "This group, which graduated with 30 wins over the past three years, certainly claimed some big wins during their time 'On the Banks'. They left a strong legacy here."

THE SEASON
Rutgers got off to a 4-1 start. In the season opener, RU downed Robert Morris, the eventual NEC Champions and NCAA Play-in Game winner by an 11-7 margin. The Scarlet Knights also cruised to victories over former BIG EAST rival St. John's (12-8) and Fairfield (12-7), while going on the road for a 10-8 win at 2016 Final Four participant Brown.

Spring Break week saw RU claim two big ranked wins. On a Wednesday evening the team traveled to No. 17 Lehigh, claiming an 8-7 win as Jules Heningburg scored the game-winning goal with just over four minutes remaining. That Saturday, Rutgers claimed a signature win with a 14-10 victory over No. 12 Syracuse, a team that would host a NCAA Tournament First Round game. Heningburg had six goals and eight points to spark the victory, earning National Player of the Week honors for his efforts in both games. After a 15-10 win over Delaware, Rutgers concluded nonconference play with a 7-2 record.

Big Ten play started against No. 17 Michigan on Senior Day and Alumni Appreciation Day. The Scarlet Knights shut out the Wolverines in the opening half, as Kieran Mullins tied his career high with eight goals and senior Connor Vercruysse had four goals in the 16-8 win. RU claimed an 11-8 win over No. 11 Penn State to clinch the Friendship Cup. Mazzone and Mullins each had three goals, while Max Edelemann notched 11 saves in that victory.

The Scarlet Knights also played two top-six ranked teams to the brink in conference play. The team took one-goal losses at No. 1 Maryland (an NCAA Semifinalist) and versus No. 6 Johns Hopkins.

KEY NOTES TO KNOW
Team Notes

The senior class had 35 wins over the past four years, the second most all-time of any RU class.
Rutgers has won at least nine games in the last three seasons for the first time in program history.
The team's record was 30-15 over the past three seasons.
Rutgers earned its second Big Ten Tournament bid and its third postseason bid in the past five seasons.
Rutgers was number 15 in the RPI overall and had the number 13 strength of schedule in the country.
RU had two top-20 RPI wins in No. 10 Syracuse and No. 19 Robert Morris.
The Big Ten finished as the number two hardest conference in the RPI.
Rutgers finished ranked No. 13 nationally in the final media poll and No. 14 in the Coaches Poll. The team was ranked every week during the season, reaching as high as No. 7 in the nation. Rutgers has been nationally ranked every week since April of 2016.
Rutgers is included in the top-20 for next year in early preseason rankings from Inside Lacrosse, US Lacrosse Magazine and the Baltimore Sun.

Individual

Rutgers had three All-Americans (Jules Heningburg, Michael Rexrode and Christian Mazzone) for the first time since 2003 and the first time having two players as high as Second Team All-America (Heningburg and Rexrode) since 1963.
Rexrode was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and he and Heningburg were First Team All-Big Ten. Mazzone was named Second Team All-Big Ten, while Casey Rose was the Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree.
Rexrode was First Team All-ECAC and Heningburg was Second Team All-ECAC.
Heningburg finished 10^th in the nation in points per game (4.8) and 12^th in the nation in assists per game (2.33). He led the Big Ten in both of those categories.
Heningburg's 72 points was tied for the fourth most ever by a Scarlet Knight in a single season.
Mullins was third in the Big Ten in points per game (3.43).
Edelmann was third in the Big Ten in goals against average (9.52).
Rutgers led the Big Ten in caused turnovers per game (6.47).

In the Classroom

Rutgers had a program record 20 student-athletes named Academic All-Big Ten.
Rutgers graduated 14 seniors. The group combined for over a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Rexrode and Mazzone were named Scholar All-Americans. RU has had 11 Scholar All-American in program history, with seven of those coming in the past four year.

RUTGERS AT HOME

In the 2018 season, 18,519 fans came through the gates at High Point Solutions Stadium. That represents an average of 2,270 per game, with that average growing to 3,145 for Big Ten games. Those numbers all represent program records, as fan support for the Scarlet Knights has grown with the team's success under head coach Brian Brecht.

Rutgers set a program record for attendance with a crowd of 5,048 for a 14-10 victory over No. 12 Syracuse. Rutgers went 7-1 at home in 2018. Over the past 23 home games, RU is 21-2 with 11 ranked wins, and the only two losses coming to teams ranked in the top six nationally.

"Our players take a lot of pride in playing in our home stadium," Brecht explained. "It's obvious that they have been fired up to play in the atmosphere that has been created here on campus by the fans, alumni and with the support of our administration. With the amount of youth and high school teams around Central New Jersey, coming to a Rutgers game is an easy drive for lacrosse fans in the surrounding areas. Our crowds have helped energize High Point Solutions Stadium on game day."

ACCOLADES

The Scarlet Knights received numerous postseason awards, both on a conference and national level. The Scarlet Knights had three All-Americans for the first time since 2003, and having two players as high as Second Team for the first time since 1963.

Michael Rexrode: Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, 2^nd Team All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten, Senior CLASS Award First Team All-American, Tewaaraton Award Watch List, Scholar All-American, First Team All-ECAC
Jules Heningburg: 2^nd Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, Tewaaraton Award Semifinalist, SecondTeam All-ECAC
Christian Mazzone: Honorable Mention All-American, Second Team All-Big Ten, Scholar All-American

Rutgers also had four players named to the USILA North/South Senior All-Star Game, its most in a given season since 1991. Rutgers four North/South representatives were Alex Bronzo, Austin Divitcos, Christian Mazzone and Christian Scarpello

FOR THE FUTURE

Rutgers will return six starters from this season, plus three key specialists (one short stick and two long-stick midfielders). Additionally, 2016 Big Ten Freshman of the Year attackman Adam Charalambides will return off an injury redshirt season.

On attack, Kieran Mullins returns for two more seasons after scoring 31 goals and adding 17 assists for 48 points last year. In conference only games, he led the Big Ten with 15 goals and was third with 22 points. Freshman Tommy Coyne, an early enrollee last season, scored 16 goals and added eight assists.

In the midfield, the Scarlet Knights return two starters in Ryan Gallagher and Casey Rose. Rose scored 21 goals last season, and enters his senior season having scored 42 goals in his last 29 games. Gallagher started the last 10 games of the season as a freshman, scoring six goals with 12 assists.

On defense, Rutgers will be tasked with replacing two senior starters in All-American Michael Rexrode and All-Big Ten Tournament selection Alex Bronzo. Returning is Garrett Bullett, who started all but two games on close defense in his redshirt freshman season with 25 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers.

Also key for the Scarlet Knights is their rope unit. Rutgers graduated three short-stick midfielders in Austin Divitcos (2018 team captain), Christian Scarpello (2018 North-South All-Star Game participant) and Chad Toliver (28 goals in 58 career games). Returning for his senior season is Mark Christiano, who excelled in a defensive role last season, setting career-highs in ground balls (14) and caused turnovers (five). Also returning will be short-stick midfielder Zackary Franckowiak, who was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team in 2016.

At long-stick midfield, Rutgers brings back two experience players in Kyle Pless (28 ground balls, 11 caused turnovers) and Garrett Michaeli (35 ground balls, 14 caused turnovers). Both players were recognized in 2018 as Big Ten Defensive Players of the Week, while Pless was named Rutgers' Junior Male Athlete of the Year.

"When you are a successful program, you are always going to lose talented seniors every year," Brecht said. "We're thankful for the senior class for what they were able to accomplish as Scarlet Knights. We're very excited about the returning players that bring back a lot of success and experience, as well as looking forward to our incoming recruiting class that will join us this fall. We're looking forward to the newest chapter of Rutgers lacrosse in 2019."

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics ) and Twitter ( @RUAthletics ) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers men's lacrosse, follow the program and Brecht on Twitter (@RUMLax and @RUlaxCoach ) and Facebook. Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com .For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.