2021 Women's Soccer Season Recap
1/28/2022
The Rutgers women’s soccer team established a historic and record-breaking season in 2021. The Scarlet Knights captured the first Big Ten Conference title for the program and for Rutgers, cruising to a 10-0 undefeated record in conference play. Led by a program-high nine All-Big Ten selections, the team advanced to the Big Ten Tournament Championship game for the third time since joining the league.
In its 10th straight NCAA Tournament and first as a No. 1 seed, the team advanced to the College Cup for the second time and first time since 2015. Overall, a plethora of new program records were set by the squad, including total wins, goals, assists, points, winning streak, and more. The most home games in a single season saw a new Yurcak Field attendance record with over 5,000+ fans. The Scarlet Knights capped the year ranked No. 3, the highest rank ever for the program.
The student-athletes brought in a number of accolades highlighted by three MAC Hermann Trophy candidates, three All-America, five All-Region and nine All-Big Ten selections. Rutgers claimed three Big Ten Player of the Year Awards, including Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the Year and Freshman of the Year. In the classroom, a program-record 21 student-athletes were named academic All-Big Ten honorees, including a Scholar All-America and two Scholar All-Region selections.
A YEAR FOR THE RECORD BOOKS
In addition to becoming first Big Ten Champions for Rutgers, the 2021 squad etched a number of new records into the record books. The Scarlet Knights matched the Rutgers Athletics record with its 10th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, tying women’s basketball’s streak from 2003-12. The team posted its first undefeated season in program history going 10-0 for the Big Ten Conference title. It marked the first Big Ten soccer team to complete the feat since 2005, and first Rutgers program to do so since joining the league.
A total of 18 different Scarlet Knights contributed to scoring on the year, the most of any season. Overall, RU outscored opponents 64-16 on the year, including 13 different goal scorers and 11 multi-goal contributors. The team posted a total of 13 shutouts this season, including seven against Big Ten opponents. Since 2008, an RU team has not posted a GAA higher than 1.06, 10 times recording a GAA under 1.00 and eight times posting a GAA under 0.65.
Rutgers Nation also helped the program set a new Yurcak Field attendance record with 5,103 fans. The Scarlet Knights had the highest attended quarterfinal match of the NCAA Tournament with 4, 672 fans.
PROGRAM RECORDS
- Total wins: 19
- Total goals: 64
- Total assists: 62
- Total points: 190
- Winning streak: 13
- Conference wins: 10
- Most home matches: 17
- Most home wins: 13
- Most regular season wins: 15
- Yurcak Field attendance: 5,103
- Highest ranking: No. 3
- NCAA Seed: No. 1
WALL OF ACCOLADES
The historic year led to record-breaking honors and accolades for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers saw a program-best three MAC Hermann Trophy candidates, bestowed to the National Player of the Year, and three All-America selections. Another program record of three Big Ten Player of the Year Awards were claimed by the Scarlet Knights, going with a program-high nine All-Big Ten honorees. The squad brought in numerous national, regional and league honors throughout the season.
Led by Mike O’Neill, the 2021 Big Ten and ECAC Coach of the Year, the Rutgers women’s soccer staff was tabbed the NCAA North Region Staff of the Year for leading the program to new heights in 2021.
2021 HONORS/AWARDS
- Big Ten Midfielder of the Year: Frankie Tagliaferri
- Big Ten Defender of the Year: Gabby Provenzano
- Big Ten Freshman of the Year: Riley Tiernan
- Three candidates for the MAC Hermann Trophy*: Amirah Ali, Gabby Provenzano, Frankie Tagliaferri
- Three All-Americans*: Amirah Ali (Third Team), Gabby Provenzano (First Team), Frankie Tagliaferri (First Team)
- Five All-North Region selections*: Amirah Ali (First Team), Gabby Provenzano (First Team), Frankie Tagliaferri (First Team), Riley Tiernan (First Team), Meagan McClelland (Third Team)
- Nine All-Big Ten*: Amirah Ali (First Team), Riley Tiernan (First Team), Frankie Tagliaferri (First Team), Gabby Provenzano (First Team), Becci Fluchel (Second Team), Meagan McClelland (Third Team), Riley Tiernan (All-Freshman), Kylie Daigle (All-Freshman), Kassidy Banks (All-Freshman), Shea Holland (Sportsmanship Award)
- Senior Class Award Candidates: Frankie Tagliaferri (Finalist), Gabby Provenzano
- ECAC Offensive Player of the Year: Frankie Tagliaferri
- ECAC Defensive Player of the Year: Gabby Provenzano
- ECAC Freshman of the Year: Riley Tiernan
- Four All-ECAC: Frankie Tagliaferri, Gabby Provenzano, Riley Tiernan, Amirah Ali
*Denotes program record total
IN THE CLASSROOM
Following its scholastic success in 2020-21, Rutgers earned the United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Award for the 11th consecutive year, kicking off another strong semester. The Scarlet Knights posted a team GPA of 3.486 in the fall and cumulative GPA of 3.55, including 13 student-athletes recognized on the Dean’s List. Freshman Kassidy Banks, junior Maddie Brant, sophomore Becci Fluchel and freshman Courtney Ruedt all earned 4.0 GPAs.
A total of 21 student-athletes earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades, the most in a single season for Rutgers. Seniors Gabby Provenzano and Meagan McClelland were named Scholar All-Region. Provenzano also claimed Scholar All-America honors for the second straight year.
2021 HONORS/AWARDS
- Program-record 21 Academic All-Big Ten: Amirah Ali, Hayley Bear, Nicole Binkley, Maddie Brant, Sara Brocious, Faith Dobosiewsicz, Becci Fluchel, Shea Holland, Emma Huntzinger, Abby Jonathan, Sam Kroeger, Adriana Kuryla, Allison Lowrey, Allison Lynch, Meagan McClelland, Emma Misal, Gabby Provenzano, Giana Romano, Emily Sapienza, Frankie Tagliaferri, Grace Walter
- Chi Alpha Sigma Inductees: Hayley Bear (Class of 2021), Nicole Binkley (Class of 2021), Emma Huntzinger (Class od 2021), Meagan McClelland (Class of 2020)
- Scholar All-America: Gabby Provenzano
- Scholar All-Region: Meagan McClelland and Gabby Provenzano
THANK YOU, SENIORS
Rutgers bid farewell to 10 seniors in 2021. A mix of the Class of 2020 and 2021, Amirah Ali, Hayley Baer, Nicole Binkley, Maddie Brant, Shea Holland, Emma Huntzinger, Abby Jonathan, Adriana Kuryla, Gabby Provenzano, and Frankie Tagliafferi all competed in their final seasons as Scarlet Knights.
Senior goalkeeper Meagan McClelland announced that she will be returning for her fifth year of eligibility, joining the 2022 squad for one more season “On the Banks”.
GOING PRO
Amirah Ali, Gabby Provenzano, and Frankie Tagliaferri all concluded their fifth and final year of eligibility with Rutgers. The trio will begin their professional careers together during the 2022 NWSL season. Ali joins San Diego FC for its inaugural season. Provenzano joins former Scarlet Knight Madison Pogarch with the Portland Thorns, while Tagliaferri joins former Scarlet Knight Casey Murphy with the NC Courage.
The trio adds to long history of Rutgers women’s soccer alumni going pro, as the most recent 2021 NWSL season featured seven former Scarlet Knights in Taylor Aylmer (Washington Spirit), Kristen Edmonds (Kansas City), Carli Lloyd (Gotham FC), Casey Murphy (NC Courage), Madison Pogarch (Portland Thorns), Erica Skroski (Gotham FC), and Kenie Wright (Gotham FC). Alymer became the first NWSL Champion in program history, claiming the 2021 crown with the Washington Spirit.
FOLLOW THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Be sure to follow Rutgers women's soccer on social to stay up to date on the program through the 2022 spring and fall seasons! Download the Scarlet Knights App to receive team news straight to your phone.
