Photo by: Rich Schultz
Celebrating the 1984 Women’s Soccer Team and 35 Years of the Program
Oct 22 | Women's Soccer
Honoring the 1984 squad that pioneered the elevation of women’s soccer to varsity status at RU
On a rainy New Jersey day this past Sunday, Rutgers women's soccer celebrated 35 years of the bright history of the program. The Scarlet Knights welcomed back and honored the members of the 1984 team, the first ever women's soccer team at RU.
The weather brought back vivid memories of the inaugural game on Sept. 15, 1984 against Kean College. The program had been elevated from the eight years at the club level to varsity status that fall. The match took place at Julian Field, where Yurcak Field is today, with fans standing and cheering on the sidelines.
"There were no stands, no seating. Everyone was standing in the mist. The entire men's team was standing there chanting Rutgers," recounted Liz Pellerin, member and leader of the 1984 team. "It was something we had never heard [as a club team], the people chanting for us.
"The late Diane Wimmershoff, one of the original club members, took a corner kick from the right side. I had privilege and honor to score the header for the first goal in Rutgers history. I had a smile on my face before that ball hit my head because I knew. It was awesome to have everyone there [to witness it]."
While the goal helped lead the Scarlet Knights to a 2-1 win that day, it symbolized more than just a first for Rutgers women's soccer. It was a symbolic triumph for the ladies of the 1983 club team and their trailblazing efforts for the program.
"In 1982, when I arrived on campus I discovered there was a Rutgers University women's soccer club team. There were no tryouts. You just joined and we were coached by two grad students," said Pellerin. "Everybody had to go to the bookstore to buy our T-shirts and gear. We didn't have matching uniforms, just had various red and white Rutgers apparel.
"We would carpool to games and beat actual DI level teams. Not clubs, varsity teams. Teams that provided uniforms, meal plans, buses. We played all these teams and won a majority of the games."
This made the women question why they weren't recognized as a varsity team.
"We went to Bob Reasso, who was the men's coach. At the time, Rutgers University men were phenomenal. We asked if we could start a petition [to add women's soccer as a varisty sport] at the men's games. 'If we come set up the tables and chairs, can we sit there and petition?'."
"We had several women on campus who had been trying to start a program," said Reasso, a Rutgers Athletics Hall of Famer and former men's soccer head coach, who led the Scarlet Knights to 13 NCAA appearances, the 1990 national championship game, three Final fours, six league titles and coached 19 All-Americans.
"The ladies already had a talented club team. They came to my staff and our administration, and after a lot of discussions back and forth, all parties decided it was the right thing to do."
With the support from Reasso and the men's program, the club team began their quest for varsity status. Parents and fans gave their support and piles of petitions grew larger.
Following a string of wins for the club over team's like Army West Point, UPenn and Drew, Liz and teammate, Maureen Shamy, knew it was time to excel the momentum. The two would represent the pioneers of the 1983 club team in front of the Rutgers administration.
"Maureen and I went to College Avenue Gym to meet with administration and to present everything. We showed them the petitions and articles of our wins. Showed them that we were beating all of these DI teams. We are really good and we deserved a team," said Pellerin.
Unfortunately, the initial response wasn't of support. The ladies were first directed to the other women's sports Rutgers had to offer. Fortunately, being the pioneers and headstrong women they were and are, Liz and Maureen never let up and used their voices to push harder.
With their endless drive, evident support, and of course, Title IX, it was in April 1984 that Rutgers University announced the addition of women's soccer as a varsity sport. Since it was their efforts that made this possible, Liz and Maureen were asked by administration to help select the program's head coach.
"They gave Maureen and I the honor of interviewing the coaching prospects. We went to the Victorian house next to Alexander Library on College Avenue and sat down with three different prospects," recalled Pellerin.
"We chose Charlie Duccilli because he had played professionally for the Philadelphia Adams. He was an assistant coach with Bob Reasso for the men's team at the time."
The club team that once wore mismatched school apparel and carpooled to games was now a varsity program with a head coach, official uniforms, a luxury bus, a trainer and athletic facilities. All that the group had set out for came to fruition with that season opening victory over Kean.
The team went on to a 10-4-2 record in their first season and climbed into the national rankings. The group established a foundation that went 44-19-5 in the first four years, the cycle of the original team members' years of play. A program that has since been to 13 NCAA Tournaments, advanced to the College Cup in 2015, produced 15 All-Americans, and maintains consistent representation in the national rankings.
"I was very happy for them. I had recruited a number of them, including Maggie Muscarella, Elyse Eichman-Dolan and Cindy Soffel from Mercer County Community College, all exceptional players to help give the team some experienced players," said Reasso Those ladies and the others we brought in combined with the talented club players already there laid a great foundation for the program.
"I never had any doubts [the program would have success]. Rutgers hired my top assistant coach, Charlie Duccilli, who was a truly outstanding coach to be their first coach. Down through the years, with Glenn Crooks and now Mike O'Neill, they have always had great coaches."
Reflecting back on how it all began 35 years ago, Pellerin is honored that she and Maureen were able to take the momentum of that club team and spearhead the fight. The moment that stands out still to this day is that first goal she scored on that rainy day in the inaugural game.
A goal scored in front of the administration that had told her and her teammates no at first. A goal that showed the strength and power of the Rutgers women's soccer student-athletes.
"There was a flood of emotions when I scored. I had come from a generation where girls weren't allowed to play soccer. We didn't have soccer until I was 11. There were no girls team. Then I went to high school, again no soccer team until I was a junior. Then I went to college, no soccer team," said Pellerin.
"Every bench mark of my growth and development it just wasn't available for us to play. To get that first goal after all the hard work that Maureen, the club girls, and I put in, it meant a lot."
Because of the perseverance and ambition, the 1984 team is one of the most important team's in Rutgers Athletics history.
"You can't overstate their importance. They had so much passion and pride in their team and in Rutgers. They set the stage for what has become one of the best women's programs in the country now," said Reasso.
"I have always thought Rutgers, being the State University should excel in sports that were great in New Jersey, as women's soccer had become. For gender equity reasons alone, we had to have a women's team."
This past Sunday, 13 of the key members from the squad, all but one living member, returned to campus to celebrate all they had accomplished. Members of the group, who all equally deserve credit for what was accomplished, traveled from as far as Maui to as close as South Jersey to reunite. The kinship and pride after all these years grew even stronger. This program meant so much more than just a team that played soccer together.
"It is hard to put into words what that team means to us. Because we were the pioneer team it means more than being a part of any other team that Rutgers has fielded. Great pride and great memories flood in. It is sad that we had to twist some arms, but it is with pride that we did it and got it accomplished. It is with even more pride that were rated as one of the best in the country in our first year. It was validation and us looking right back at the men who tried to deny us. This is what we can do. Look how far we have come," said Pellerin.
The family that Rutgers women's soccer has grown over the years may never have been possible without that original group of women. A group of women that fought a more significant fight than they ever imagined. A group of women that the current women's soccer squad gains inspiration in today's game.
"I look back and think that yes, a DI women's soccer team would've happened. I think of everything going on with women and the movement of empowering women today," said Pellerin. "Especially trying to get equal pay for women's soccer players, it brought back a flood of memories of what we had to go through to even get this team, how hard it was. And 35 years later, we have made it far, but still have ways to go."
The weather brought back vivid memories of the inaugural game on Sept. 15, 1984 against Kean College. The program had been elevated from the eight years at the club level to varsity status that fall. The match took place at Julian Field, where Yurcak Field is today, with fans standing and cheering on the sidelines.
"There were no stands, no seating. Everyone was standing in the mist. The entire men's team was standing there chanting Rutgers," recounted Liz Pellerin, member and leader of the 1984 team. "It was something we had never heard [as a club team], the people chanting for us.
"The late Diane Wimmershoff, one of the original club members, took a corner kick from the right side. I had privilege and honor to score the header for the first goal in Rutgers history. I had a smile on my face before that ball hit my head because I knew. It was awesome to have everyone there [to witness it]."
While the goal helped lead the Scarlet Knights to a 2-1 win that day, it symbolized more than just a first for Rutgers women's soccer. It was a symbolic triumph for the ladies of the 1983 club team and their trailblazing efforts for the program.
"In 1982, when I arrived on campus I discovered there was a Rutgers University women's soccer club team. There were no tryouts. You just joined and we were coached by two grad students," said Pellerin. "Everybody had to go to the bookstore to buy our T-shirts and gear. We didn't have matching uniforms, just had various red and white Rutgers apparel."We would carpool to games and beat actual DI level teams. Not clubs, varsity teams. Teams that provided uniforms, meal plans, buses. We played all these teams and won a majority of the games."
This made the women question why they weren't recognized as a varsity team.
"We went to Bob Reasso, who was the men's coach. At the time, Rutgers University men were phenomenal. We asked if we could start a petition [to add women's soccer as a varisty sport] at the men's games. 'If we come set up the tables and chairs, can we sit there and petition?'."
"We had several women on campus who had been trying to start a program," said Reasso, a Rutgers Athletics Hall of Famer and former men's soccer head coach, who led the Scarlet Knights to 13 NCAA appearances, the 1990 national championship game, three Final fours, six league titles and coached 19 All-Americans.
"The ladies already had a talented club team. They came to my staff and our administration, and after a lot of discussions back and forth, all parties decided it was the right thing to do."
With the support from Reasso and the men's program, the club team began their quest for varsity status. Parents and fans gave their support and piles of petitions grew larger.
Following a string of wins for the club over team's like Army West Point, UPenn and Drew, Liz and teammate, Maureen Shamy, knew it was time to excel the momentum. The two would represent the pioneers of the 1983 club team in front of the Rutgers administration.
"Maureen and I went to College Avenue Gym to meet with administration and to present everything. We showed them the petitions and articles of our wins. Showed them that we were beating all of these DI teams. We are really good and we deserved a team," said Pellerin.
Unfortunately, the initial response wasn't of support. The ladies were first directed to the other women's sports Rutgers had to offer. Fortunately, being the pioneers and headstrong women they were and are, Liz and Maureen never let up and used their voices to push harder.
With their endless drive, evident support, and of course, Title IX, it was in April 1984 that Rutgers University announced the addition of women's soccer as a varsity sport. Since it was their efforts that made this possible, Liz and Maureen were asked by administration to help select the program's head coach.
"They gave Maureen and I the honor of interviewing the coaching prospects. We went to the Victorian house next to Alexander Library on College Avenue and sat down with three different prospects," recalled Pellerin.
"We chose Charlie Duccilli because he had played professionally for the Philadelphia Adams. He was an assistant coach with Bob Reasso for the men's team at the time."
The club team that once wore mismatched school apparel and carpooled to games was now a varsity program with a head coach, official uniforms, a luxury bus, a trainer and athletic facilities. All that the group had set out for came to fruition with that season opening victory over Kean.
The team went on to a 10-4-2 record in their first season and climbed into the national rankings. The group established a foundation that went 44-19-5 in the first four years, the cycle of the original team members' years of play. A program that has since been to 13 NCAA Tournaments, advanced to the College Cup in 2015, produced 15 All-Americans, and maintains consistent representation in the national rankings.
"I was very happy for them. I had recruited a number of them, including Maggie Muscarella, Elyse Eichman-Dolan and Cindy Soffel from Mercer County Community College, all exceptional players to help give the team some experienced players," said Reasso Those ladies and the others we brought in combined with the talented club players already there laid a great foundation for the program.
"I never had any doubts [the program would have success]. Rutgers hired my top assistant coach, Charlie Duccilli, who was a truly outstanding coach to be their first coach. Down through the years, with Glenn Crooks and now Mike O'Neill, they have always had great coaches."
Reflecting back on how it all began 35 years ago, Pellerin is honored that she and Maureen were able to take the momentum of that club team and spearhead the fight. The moment that stands out still to this day is that first goal she scored on that rainy day in the inaugural game.
A goal scored in front of the administration that had told her and her teammates no at first. A goal that showed the strength and power of the Rutgers women's soccer student-athletes.
"There was a flood of emotions when I scored. I had come from a generation where girls weren't allowed to play soccer. We didn't have soccer until I was 11. There were no girls team. Then I went to high school, again no soccer team until I was a junior. Then I went to college, no soccer team," said Pellerin.
"Every bench mark of my growth and development it just wasn't available for us to play. To get that first goal after all the hard work that Maureen, the club girls, and I put in, it meant a lot."
Because of the perseverance and ambition, the 1984 team is one of the most important team's in Rutgers Athletics history.
"You can't overstate their importance. They had so much passion and pride in their team and in Rutgers. They set the stage for what has become one of the best women's programs in the country now," said Reasso.
"I have always thought Rutgers, being the State University should excel in sports that were great in New Jersey, as women's soccer had become. For gender equity reasons alone, we had to have a women's team."
This past Sunday, 13 of the key members from the squad, all but one living member, returned to campus to celebrate all they had accomplished. Members of the group, who all equally deserve credit for what was accomplished, traveled from as far as Maui to as close as South Jersey to reunite. The kinship and pride after all these years grew even stronger. This program meant so much more than just a team that played soccer together.
"It is hard to put into words what that team means to us. Because we were the pioneer team it means more than being a part of any other team that Rutgers has fielded. Great pride and great memories flood in. It is sad that we had to twist some arms, but it is with pride that we did it and got it accomplished. It is with even more pride that were rated as one of the best in the country in our first year. It was validation and us looking right back at the men who tried to deny us. This is what we can do. Look how far we have come," said Pellerin.
The family that Rutgers women's soccer has grown over the years may never have been possible without that original group of women. A group of women that fought a more significant fight than they ever imagined. A group of women that the current women's soccer squad gains inspiration in today's game.
"I look back and think that yes, a DI women's soccer team would've happened. I think of everything going on with women and the movement of empowering women today," said Pellerin. "Especially trying to get equal pay for women's soccer players, it brought back a flood of memories of what we had to go through to even get this team, how hard it was. And 35 years later, we have made it far, but still have ways to go."
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