The Scarlet Knights opened up the season with a 6-2 record through nonconference play. RU opened the season against Lehigh on February 3, taking down a Mountain Hawks squad that would go on to win the Patriot League Tournament and qualify for the NCAA Tournament, by a final score of 14-12. 

The Scarlet Knights also claimed wins over a trio of annual contenders in games at Stony Brook (16-12), at Loyola (13-5) and against Hofstra (13-8). The road win at Loyola, who had been ranked in No. 12 nationally just two weeks before, saw RU goalkeeper Cardin Stoller emerge with a save percentage (75%) that was the best for RU since 2022 and fewest goals allowed since 2019. 

In a 17-5 win over Detroit Mercy, RU had 11 goal scorers, including three posting their first collegiate goal. The team concluded its non-conference slate with a neutral site matchup on Long Island, traveling to take on UMass in Farmingdale. A close game throughout, Stoller had 19 saves, and made a stop on the final possession to insure the 10-9 win. 

Big Ten play was highlighted by a great performance in Ann Arbor, as the Scarlet Knights claimed a 9-7 road win at No. 15 Michigan. The top ranked win of the season saw another 19-save performance from Stoller and four point days from Shane Knobloch and Ross Scott, as the Scarlet Knights extended their winning streak over the Wolverines to nine games, the longest winning streak over any Big Ten foe. 

Overall, RU claimed two wins over NCAA Tournament teams (Michigan and Lehigh), and saw their average loss come to teams with an RPI of 10. The Scarlet Knights had five of their seven losses come to top-10 RPI teams at the end of the season, and another come to a team that reached No. 1 in the polls just two weeks later, with five losses to NCAA Tournament teams.

Rutgers finished the season as the nation’s leader with the fewest turnovers per game, placing number one nationally at 13.29 per game. The program has made this statistic a hallmark, as RU has been number one in the country for three straight seasons and finished in the top-seven nationally in each of the past six seasons. 

Over the past three full seasons since returning from the shortened 2020 campaign, RU is 39-21. In that time, the Scarlet Knights claimed 14 ranked wins. RU has 37 ranked wins since 2003, and 27 of them have come since 2012 under head coach Brian Brecht. 

Individual Standouts

Senior Midfielder Shane Knobloch (29 Goals, 11 Assists)

• Knobloch became the first winner of the McLaughlin Award in program history, the first Rutgers player to earn one of these accolades since Reid Jackson claimed the William C. Schmeisser Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994, and the third all-time, joining Jack Daut, who won the Jack Turnbull Award for the nation's top attackman in 1957.He becomes just the second four-time All-American in program history, joining Tom Sweeney (1977-1980).
   

Graduate Student Attackman Ross Scott (20 Goals, 25 Assists)

• Scott finished his five-year career ‘On the Banks’ as a three-time All-American and three-time all-Big Ten selection. His 109 goals and 182 points place him in the top-12 all-time in program history in both statistical categories. 

Redshirt Freshman Goalkeeper Cardin Stoller (54.1 Save Percentage, 11.24 Goals-Against-Average, 173 Saves)

• Stoller was the third Scarlet Knight to be named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year since RU became part of the league in 2015, joining teammate Shane Knobloch (2021) and Adam Charalambides (2016). Stoller is the eighth Rutgers' student-athlete to earn a major award from the Big Ten since 2015

Freshman Midfielder Colin Kurdyla (20 Goals, 10 Assists)

• Kurdyla emerged as an offensive threat as a true freshman with six multi-goal games, and was ranked No. 17 on the Inside Lacrosse True Freshman Rankings to end the season. 

Sophomore long-stick midfielder Ryan Splaine (40 Ground Balls, 16 Caused Turnovers)

• Excelled in taking over the top long-stick midfield spot 

Junior defenseman Tommy Mendyke (20 Ground Balls, 12 Caused Turnovers 

• First time starter led the newly formed close defense unit and earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award. 

All-Americans (USILA)

• Shane Knobloch: First Team
• Ross Scott: Honorable Mention

Knobloch:  Lt. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Outstanding Midfielder of the Year Award

Knobloch was also a First All-American by Inside Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse Magazine and the Lacrosse Network. 

All-Big Ten

• Shane Knobloch: First Team
• Ross Scott: First Team
• Cardin Stoller: Freshman of the Year
• Tommy Mendyke: Sportsmanship Award
   

Rutgers has now had multiple First Team All-Big Ten players in five of the past six seasons. 

USILA Senior All-Star Game

• Brandon Hund
   

All-ECAC

• Shane Knobloch: First Team
   

Tewaaraton Award Watch List

• Ross Scott, Shane Knobloch 
   

USILA Scholar All-American

• Brandon Hund, Shane Knobloch, Ross Scott
   

Academic All-Big Ten

• Jack Aimone, Zak Conley, Jack Crosby, Liam Gray, LaJhon Jones Jr., Shane Knobloch, Brady Kurdyla, Justin Lawler, Tommy Mendyke, Shane Murphy, Logan Peters, Mason Rickens, Brian Russo, Ross Scott, Ryan Splaine, Nick Teresky, Kyle Tietjen, Zach Walsh

Big Ten Distinguished Scholar

• Liam Gray, Justin Lawler, Logan Peters, Brian Russo, Ross Scott, Nick Teresky

Cardin Stoller:

• Four-Time Big Ten Freshman of the Week
• Two-Time Big Ten Specialist of the Week
• USA Lacrosse Magazine Division I National Player of the Week (March 19)
• USILA Team of the Week (Feb. 27)
   

Colin Kurdyla

• Two-Time Freshman of the Week
   

Ross Scott

• USILA Team of the Week (Feb. 6)
   

Tommy Mendyke

• USILA Team of the Week (Feb. 13)
   

Ryan Splaine

• USILA Team of the Week (March 20)

Rutgers continued its tradition of placing players in the professional ranks as the Premier Lacrosse League held its Collegiate Draft. Shane Knobloch was selected in the First Round with the fourth overall selection by the Carolina Chaos. Ross Scott was a Third Round Selection, going 20th overall to the Chaos. Knobloch's selection made him the highest ever PLL draft pick out of Rutgers since the league started.

With these two selections, Rutgers boasts a total of 44 alumni all-time between Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and the National Lacrosse League (NLL). This success placing players in the pros has been accelerated recently, with 32 alumni coached at RU by current head coach Brian Brecht to go on to the professional level. This season, 11 RU alumns were featured on rosters as the league entered its season.