PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers will welcome 18 new student-athletes to the program for the 2020-21 season. The Scarlet Knights will have six Division I transfers as well as 12 incoming freshmen.

The six transfers – - Jonathan Dugenio, Colin Kirst, Connor Kirst, Andrew Kim, Justin Kim and Brian Ward - join the Scarlet Knights after previous careers at the Division I level. The group includes three midfielders, one long-stick midfielder, one faceoff specialist and one goalkeeper.

The 12 freshmen student-athletes include three attackmen, three midfielders, one faceoff specialist, three defensemen and two goalkeepers. The group (Jack Aimone, Connor Baratta, David Burr, Mason Everly, Dante Fuller, Liam Gray, Shane Knobloch, Mason Rickens, Brian Russo, Nick Teresky, Kyle Tietjen and Robert Zevazvadijan) includes seven New Jersey natives alongside representatives of New York, Michigan and Ohio.
 

TRANSFERS
 
#91 Jonathan Dugenio
Faceoff
5'8/175
Bridgewater, N.J. / Bridgewater-Raritan / Brewster Academy / St. John's

Spent one year at St. John's before transfer to Rutgers

Prior to Rutgers: Played in all seven games at St. John's as team's primary faceoff specialist as a freshman … won 113 of 205 faceoffs (55.1%) with 49 ground balls … also added a goal and four assists … his 113 faceoff wins led all freshman and ranked second overall in the nation … named College Crosse Freshman Third Team All-American … spent one year at Brewster Academy following his high school career at Bridgewater – Raritan … lettered in lacrosse and golf in his senior season, he was named Team MVP, an All-County, All-Group, and All-Conference Lakes region All-Star ... 2018 County Champion … 2019 Lakes Region Champion ... was Northern New England All-Star and New Jersey All-Star ... named Magna Cum Laude at Brewster Academy … parents are Jon and Christine Dugenio … has four siblings (Jordan, Julia, Jarrett and Jaclyn)

#23 Colin Kirst 
Goalkeeper
6'2/210
Bernardsville, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep / Lehigh

Spent four years at Lehigh before transfer to Rutgers

Prior to Rutgers: Played in 11 games at Lehigh, making one start … compiled 10.71 goals-against-average and .434 save percentage … made 23 saves and collected two ground balls … spent 168:41 minutes of action in the cage … named to Patriot League Academic Honor roll as a senior … was a US Lacrosse All-American at Seton Hall Prep … named first team All-League, first team All-State, All-Conference and was a Goalie of the Year … also garnered the Bob Scott Award … strong in the classroom as well, earned first or second honors all four years, was a member of the National Honor Society and was named president of the school.… mother is Michelle … father, Kyle, was a goalkeeper at Rutgers from 1988 to 1990 and was inducted into the NJ Lacrosse Hall of Fame … has four siblings (Connor, Cole, CJ, Caden) … brother Connor joins him this season on the team … brother CJ plays lacrosse at Cornell

#1 Connor Kirst 
Midfield 
6'3/230
Bernardsville, N.J. / Delbarton / Lawrenceville / Villanova

Spent four years at Villanova before transfer to Rutgers

Prior to Rutgers: Played in 52 games (35 starts) at Villanova … scored 84 goals and added 42 assists for 126 career points … collected 101 ground balls and caused 15 turnovers … scored eight-game winning goals … was an Inside Lacrosse First Team All-American in 2020 … in 2019, was named BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year, USILA All-American and Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-American, and was Midseason Second Team All-American selection … in 2018, was First Team all-conference and earned two conference weekly accolades … won 44 faceoffs on 137 attempts in 2017 and 2018 … in high school, earned three varsity letters at Delbarton and one at Lawrenceville as a midfielder…named a 2015 All-American…earned First Team all-state recognition and Fitch Pitt Division Player of the Year in 2015…was a 2016 All Interac First Team member….also earned two varsity letters in football and one in wrestling … mother is Michelle … father, Kyle, was a goalkeeper at Rutgers from 1988 to 1990 and was inducted into the NJ Lacrosse Hall of Fame … has four siblings (Collin, Cole, CJ, Caden) … brother Collin joins him this season on the team … brother CJ plays lacrosse at Cornell

#15 Andrew Kim
Midfield
6'4/210
Wayne, N.J. / Don Bosco Prep / Syracuse

Spent two years at Syracuse before transfer to Rutgers

Prior to Rutgers: Played in six games at Syracuse over two seasons, scoring two goals and collecting a ground ball … tallied against Binghamton (2020) and Navy (2019) … named to ACC Academic Honor Roll … was a four-year letterwinner at Don Bosco Prep, scoring 61 goals and adding 22 assists … as a senior, recorded 33 points and was named First Team All-Gibbs and First Team All-County … team captain as a senior … also played two seasons of basketball … parents are Henry and Malaina … father played lacrosse at Fairfield … has a twin brother, Justin, who also joins team as a transfer from Syracuse

#16 Justin Kim
Midfield
6'4/215
Wayne, N.J. / Don Bosco Prep / Syracuse

Spent two years at Syracuse before transfer to Rutgers

Prior to Rutgers: Played in five games at Syracuse over two seasons, posting one assist in 2019 collegiate debut vs. Albany … named to ACC Academic Honor Roll … four year letterwinner at Don Bosco Prep … named First team All-Gibbs and first team All-County … scored 27 goals and 20 assists in his senior season, while recording 62 goals and 34 assists in his career at Don Bosco … was a team captain as a senior season… parents are Henry and Malaina … father played lacrosse at Fairfield … has a twin brother, Andrew, who also joins team as a transfer from Syracuse

#43 Brian Ward
Long-Stick Midfield
5'11/170
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon / Yale

Spent four years at Yale before transfer to Rutgers

Prior to Rutgers: Played in 28 games at Yale, recording 15 ground balls, four caused turnovers and two goals … 2020 NEILA Pre-Season All-New England First Team selection … played in 2019 national championship game, collecting two ground balls …2018 NCAA national champion and 2017 Ivy League champion … played four years of lacrosse at Mount Lebanon High School and was named two-time US Lacrosse All-American, Brine National All-American and US Lacrosse WPIAL Player of the Year… scored 168 career goals with 70 assists for 238 points… named All-Team Western PA, All-Team Pennsylvania, three-time All-WPIAL and three-time all-selection… Team MVP senior year… Offensive Team MVP sophomore and junior years… two-time Almanac Lacrosse MVP… two-year lacrosse captain… leading scorer on team sophomore, junior and senior seasons… two-time first-team All-Midwest (MSCLA)… four-time WPIAL Championship finalist… Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Player of the Year… two-time WPIAL Champion… undefeated section champions all four years… Pennsylvania State Semifinalist… MSCLA finalist… played two years of football… on National Honor Society and Highest Honor Roll… Mt. Lebanon Academic and Athletic Award winner… parents are Anne and John Ward … has three siblings (Alexa, Kelly and Katie)
 

FRESHMEN
 
#33 Jack Aimone
Attackman
6'1/190
Ringoes, N.J. / Hunterdon Central


Prior to Rutgers: Three-year varsity starter …named First Team all-state, First Team all-conference, First Team NJ All-Senior Boys … Hunterdon County all-area team … 2019 Group 4 North champions … earned team's 72 Award for leading point-scorer … 2019 NJ Offensive Player of the Year candidate … also played basketball and was named to FRYB Rec Basketball All-Decade team … parents are Mark and Karen … has two brothers, Justin and Danny

#46 Connor Baratta
Faceoff
5'11/190
Novi, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central HS

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity starter … won 81 percent of faceoffs in 2019 with 106 ground balls … had over 70 percent winning percentage on faceoffs in 2017 and 2018 … 2019 Epoch IL Committed Academy All-Tournament Team … earned 2019 MSHLCA Gene Riley Unsung Hero Award … three-time selection to all-region team … earned all-league honors in 2017 … helped Catholic Central to a first time 2018 MI D1 State Championship and led Catholic Central to MI D1 State Finals in 2017, 2018 & 2019 … helped lead Catholic Central to a MI Catholic League Lacrosse Championship in 2018 … 2017 Big 12 All Star; … 2017 FLG in 3D All Star … also played football … four-year member of Honor Roll … Gabriel Richard Honors Club Member (High Academic Honor Roll) … member of DECA Club … parents are David and Marcella … has two older siblings, Paul and Jacqueline … brother is a Marathon Runner/Finisher (Boston, Berlin, Chicago, Indiana)

#39 David Burr
Attack
6'2/215
Glassboro, N.J./St. Augustine Prep

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity starter who posted 95 goals and 40 assists for 135 points … posted 44 goals and 33 assists in 2019 … was a First Team Press All-Star in 2019 … also participated in rugby (two-time state champion) and swimming (state champion) … parents are Aaron and Rebecca … has two older siblings, Andrew and Megan

#55 Mason Everly
Defense
6'1/195
Troy, Mich. / Brother Rice

Prior to Rutgers: Three-year varsity starter … All-American … All-State … also played football and was all-league … earned Excellence Award for English and Achievement Award for Physics …parents are Greg and Kim … has two siblings, Rory and Bryce … grandfather played football at Detroit Mercy

#77 Dante Fuller
Defense / Long-Stick Midfield
6'0/200
Westerville, Ohio / Saint Frances DeSales

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year letterwinner … team captain … named Under Armour All-American … 2019 First Team all-state … 2018 state champion … earned Defensive MVP award … also played football, as a three-year starter … parents are Thomas and Anna … has two older sisters, Gabriella and Amanda

#47 Liam Gray
Goalkeeper
6'1/255
Mine Hill, N.J. / Delbarton

Prior to Rutgers: Two-time Morris County champion and two-time Non-Public A champion … Tournament of Champions winner … team had combined 40-3 record in 2018 and 2019 … also did three years of varsity wrestling, and was First Team All-United Division for three years … parents are Mark and Lorie … father attended Rutgers, where he played rugby

#27 Shane Knobloch
Midfield
5'9/190
Moorestown, N.J. / Moorestown HS 

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity letterwinner … was named All-American, First Team all-state, all-county, all-Group 3 and All-South Jersey … earned Athletic Scholar Award and was High Honors graduate and Steam Tank Challenge finalist … parents are Deanna and Keith (K.C.) … mother was an All-American lacrosse player at Trenton State College, and father played football and baseball at University of Delaware … older sister, Kacey, plays lacrosse at James Madison … third family to play sports at Rutgers, following Brooke Wiley (lacrosse) and Dave Marciniak (baseball) … has three cousins who played college lacrosse and two more who played college football … cousin, Grant Wiley, played football at West Virginia and for the Minnesota Vikings

#41 Mason Rickens
Midfield
6'1/195
Lewis Center, Ohio / St. Francis DeSales

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year starter and two-time team captain … named to 2019 Underclass Under Armour Midwest team … 2019 FCA National Team … two-time regional champion … 2018 Second Team all-state … two-time all-region selection … 2018 Ohio D2 state champion ... record holder for most points in Ohio State Championship (3 goals, 3 assists) … earned Columbus Dispatch Athlete of the Week accolade … also played three years of football … valedictorian … class president as freshman and junior and vice president as a senior … member of Run the Race Club, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and student ambassador … Handshake American Scholarship recipient … was prom king … parents are Michelle and Jeff … has one younger sibling, Maddox

#20 Brian Russo
Midfield
6'2/200
Livingston, N.J. / Livingston HS

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity starter and two-time team captain who posted 121 goals, 33 assists and collected 195 ground balls … named First Team all-conference, Second Team All-Junior and Third Team all-state in 2019 … in 2018 was named First Team all-conference … in 2017, was named First team all-conference and all-division and named to New Jersey Under Armour Team … named to honor roll … also played three years of varsity football, where he was a team captain and a two-time all-conference selection … parents and David and Suzanne … older brother, Stephen, is a goalkeeper on the team

#12 Nick Teresky
Attack
6'2/185
Wantagh, N.Y. / Wantagh HS

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity lacrosse letterwinner … team captain as a senior … named all-conference and all-county … two-time Newsday Top 100 Lacrosse Player … two-time Nassau County All-Star team … 2020 Preseason All-Long Island Attackman … led team to county championship as a sophomore and semifinals as a junior … led team in points as a sophomore (34 goals and 12 assists) and junior (35 goals and 30 assists) … honor roll student … National Business Honor Society member … three-year varsity football letterwinner and senior captain … in football, named two-time all-county and also all-state … three-year varsity starter in basketball, where he was a two-time captain and two-time all-conference, twice leading team in scoring … Wantagh High School Junior Athlete of the Year and Senior Athlete of the Year … parents are Christine and Christopher … has two siblings, Anthony and Isabella … older brother, Anthony, plays lacrosse at Molloy … cousin, Kevin Teresky, also played lacrosse at Molloy

#35 Kyle Tietjen
Defense
6'1/200
Stewartsville, N.J. / Phillipsburg

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity starter … team MVP in 2019 … two-time First Team all-conference … named to all-state NJ Sophomore/Freshman First Team in 2018 … ranked among Top 50 Boys Lacrosse players in New Jersey in three seasons … named to First Team NJ Interscholastic League in 2017 …also played football …  parents are William and Krista … has a younger sister, Karli … has two cousins that played college sports, Zach Cyphers (Muhlenberg football) and Kayla Cyphers (Arcadia golf)

#37 Robert Zevazvadijan
Goalkeeper
6'0/195
Ramsey, N.J. / Saint Joseph Regional HS

Prior to Rutgers: Four-year varsity starter and team captain … school record holder for most wins, saves & save % for a single season & career … had 206 saves and 23 ground balls in 2019 season … also posted 206 saves in 2018 holds New Jersey State Record for most saves (27) in a NJSIAA State Tournament Game … named to North Jersey All-Decade Team … earned All-State, All-Group, All-County and All-League Honors … North Jersey Player of the Year Nominee … also played football … National Honors Society inductee … recipient of Bergen County Coaches Association Lou Lanzalotto Scholarship … parents are Bert and Lisa … has two younger siblings, Jared and Mia

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