PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 8 Rutgers women's lacrosse opens its 2023 season at No. 19 Jacksonville on Sunday. First draw is set for 1 p.m. ET at Rock Stadium, with a live stream provided by judolphins.com. This is the first ever meeting between the two schools, as Jacksonville will open its season Friday night against No. 17 Michigan.
The Scarlet Knights enter 2023 after they produced the most successful season in school history last spring. RU registered a program-record 16 victories and its highest final ranking in the IWLCA Coaches Poll at No. 10, earning its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Rutgers also advanced to its first Big Ten Championship game since joining the league in 2015 thanks to a win over No. 4 Northwestern – the team's first over the Wildcats and highest-ranked win in school history. RU delivered wins over six ranked opponents during the 2022 campaign, including a victory over No. 23 Saint Joseph's in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Reigning Big Ten Coach of the Year
Melissa Lehman enters her fourth season at the helm of the program. In just three seasons, Lehman has led Rutgers to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances (2021, 2022) after the team qualified just once over a span of 43 years prior to her arrival.
Rutgers returns 13 student-athletes who started double-digit games last season, including seven full-time starters. The Scarlet Knights also bring back eight of their top-10 goal scorers from a year ago, including
Cassidy Spilis (69),
Marin Hartshorn (35) and
Ashley Campo (20). On Defense, 2022 All-American
Meghan Ball comes back after leading the team with 114 draw controls, 64 ground balls and 54 caused turnovers a year ago, while
Jessica Beneducci returns after she earn all-conference laurels last spring. 2022 All-Big Ten Tournament goalie
Sophia Cardello enters her third season between the pipes with 248 career saves on her resume.
- Four Scarlet Knights – Ball, Campo, Hartshorn and Spilis – earned preseason All-America recognition by at least one publication ahead of the 2023 season. Spilis (first team), Ball (second team) and Campo (honorable mention) landed on the preseason All-America list from USA Lacrosse Magazine. Spilis (first team), ball (second team) and Hartshorn (honorable mention) represented RU as All-Americans by ILWomen.
- Cardello, Hartshorn, Spilis, and Jenna Byrne were named team captains for Rutgers this season. Hartshorn was selected as a team captain for the third consecutive season, while Spilis gets the designation for a second time. Byrne and Cardello earn the distinction for the first time in their respective careers.
- Spilis is fourth in school history with 144 goals during her time "On the Banks." Spilis needs 44 goals to pass former teammate and current volunteer assistant coach Taralyn Naslonski for the program record at 188.
- Spilis is also third on the program's all-time draw control list with 170 and can become the fifth player in program history to hit 200 points for her career with 50 on the season.
- Ball is second all time at Rutgers with 207 draw controls, needing 23 to pass Cathy Pecha (1982-83) for the school record.
- Ball is six caused turnovers away from 100 for her career. She needs 16 to pass Kristin Checksfield (2000-03) for the program record.
- No. 19 Jacksonville is one of 10 opponents either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason IWLCA Coaches Poll. Rutgers faces nine teams who advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament, including Final Four participants Maryland and Northwestern. The full list includes No. 2 Maryland, No. 4 Northwestern, No. 6 Stony Brook, No. 12 James Madison, No. 15 Princeton, No. 17 Michigan, No. 19 Jacksonville, No. 20 Johns Hopkins, RV Ohio State and RV Penn State.
- Rutgers matchups with Northwestern (April 6), Stony Brook (April 12) and Ohio State (April 20) will all broadcast on Big Ten Network. BTN will also carry the semifinals and finals of the Big Ten Tournament, held May 4-6 in Columbus.
- The Dolphins finished 14-5 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after it defeated Liberty in the ASUN Tournament final. Jacksonville delivered a win over Stanford in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before bowing out with a tough 15-10 loss to No. 7 Florida.
- The Dolphins were selected first in the 2023 ASUN Preseason Women's Lacrosse Coaches Poll and earned six spots on the 2023 ASUN Women's Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference Team.
- Graduate students Maddie Sturgell (D) and Molly Brock (MF) received unanimous selection to the team alongside fellow graduate student Sarah Elms (A), Seniors Hailey Blachly (D) and Mackenzie Boyle (A), and Junior Paige Pagano (GK) were also named to the team.
- Brock and Elms return after earning All-America honors a year ago. Elms produced 93 points on 68 goals and 25 assists a year ago, while Brock produced 122 draw controls with 30 points.
- Jacksonville will open its season Friday with No. 17 Michigan.
- Rutgers faces Monmouth on Wednesday, February 15 in West Long Branch, New Jersey. The game is set for a 2 p.m. ET start.
