Hall of Fame
Men's Soccer Rutgers Hall of Fame Inductees
Art Brinkmann (1952 - 55)
Inducted 1996
The first Scarlet Knight booter to have his jersey retired, Art Brinkmann is one of the founders of Rutgers Soccer. He was the program’s first All-American, claiming the honor in 1954 and he holds the school record with six goals in a match. A three-time All-East selection, he scored 49 career goals. He was team captain his junior and senior season, was named the Alfred Sasser Award Winner in 1954 and appeared in Who’s Who in American Colleges &? Universities in 1954 and 1955. Brinkmann was an alternate member of the United States’ Olympic Soccer team that competed in the Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland. In 1956 he was a member of the national champion Eintracht FC. The College Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey elected him to its Hall of Fame in 1995.
Bobby Joe Esposito (1983 - 86)
Inducted 1999
Bobby Joe Esposito was one of the most prolific scorers in Rutgers history. In all four years of his career, he led Rutgers in goals, points, game-winning goals and multiple-goal games. He finished his career with 50 goals which ranks second all-time, 25 career assists (t-fourth) and 125 points (second). He started every game of his career (76) and recorded 16 multiple-goal games. Following his freshman season he was named one of Soccer America’s Top 10 freshmen. In 1986, he led the team with 15 goals and four assists and was named an All-American. A stellar student, he was an Academic All-America in 1986 as well, and played in the 1986 Senior Bowl. Following his career, Esposito spent six years playing professionally in the MISL?and NPSL.
Pedro Lopes (1990 - 94)
Inducted 2004
Lopes, a two-time All-American and two-time recipient of the Bob McNulty Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player, played in four NCAA Tournaments, including two Final Fours during his storied collegiate career. He was named the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year in 1994 when Rutgers advanced to the Final Four for the third time in five seasons. He spearheaded a defense that allowed just 10 goals in 1990, 93 and 94. He scored the game-winning goal in the 1993 Atlantic 10 Championship game and started all 86 games in his collegiate career. Upon graduation, he played professionally with the NJ Imperials and served as an assistant coach at Rutgers for eight seasons before taking over as the head men’s soccer coach at NJIT in 2003.
Alexi Lalas (1988 - 91)
Inducted 1998
Three-time All-American and 1991 consensus National Player of the Year, Alexi Lalas became one of the most recognizable American athletes in the world. In his four years as a Scarlet Knight, he led RU to three NCAA tournaments, including a National Semifinal in 1989 and National Championship game in 1990. In his four seasons, Rutgers compiled a record of 71-15-8. In 1989 and 1990, he was named Third-Team All-American and in 1991, he was recognized as the nation’s finest college soccer player winning the Hermann Award and the Missouri Athletic Club Trophy. That year, he was also named First-Team All-American. He was also a four-time Mid-Atlantic Region choice as well as three-time Atlantic 10 selection. A three-time captain and the only Rutgers soccer player to receive three All-America honors, Lalas was the guiding force to a 15-match unbeaten streak and Rutgers’ first No. 1 ranking in the history of the program during his senior year. In August 2006, he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Dave Masur (1982 - 84)
Inducted 1996
Dave Masur was a two-time All-American and a three-year captain (1982-84). During those three seasons, Masur keyed the Scarlet to a combined 35-14-6 record. A perfect 17-0-2 mark in 1983 garnered Rutgers its first NCAA?Tournament berth in 22 years. That season, he was the third-leading scorer on the team (from the back) with four goals and six assists Masur won the Bob McNulty MVP Award in 1982 & 1983 and was a participant in the 1984 Senior Bowl. He graduated as Rutgers 8th all-time assist leader and 13th in all-time points.
Coach Bob Reasso (1981 - 09)
Inducted 2016
Spending nearly three decades “On The Banks”, Bob Reasso led the Rutgers men’s soccer team to 13 NCAA appearances, including the 1990 national championship game, three Final fours, six league titles and coached 19 Scarlet Knight All-Americans. During his 29 seasons at Rutgers, Reasso compiled an overall record of 351-183-71, winning 10 or more matches in 21 seasons and reaching the 15-win mark seven times. In 1990, building off a Final Four appearance from the previous season, Reasso guided the Scarlet Knights to the national championship game that resulted in a penalty kick shootout. Rutgers ended the season at 20-3-2 as they knocked off previously unbeaten and No.1 ranked Evansville to reach the championship match. The 20 victories earned by the 1990 team under Reasso, which included a win over Penn State to claim its first Atlantic 10 title, still remain an RU record. During his tenure, Reasso was the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year three times and Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year four times.
Herb Schmidt (1959 - 61)
Inducted 1994
Herb Schmidt is the first two-time soccer All-American in Rutgers history. A stalwart scorer from 1959-1961, he also served as the team’s captain in his senior year and was an All-Mid Atlantic selection. The Sasser Award winner, he was also a two-time All-American in Lacrosse. Considered the premier midfielder of his time, he tallied 90 goals, 23 his sophomore year, 33 as a junior, and 34 as a senior. In 1960, Rutgers finished the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record but lost a 4-3 overtime decision to Maryland in the NCAA?tournament. As a student, Schmidt was a member of the Crown and Scroll honor society.
Peter Vermes (1985 - 87)
Inducted 1998
A 1987 First-Team All-American and runner-up for National Player of the Year, Vermes put together one of the finest careers in Rutgers sports history. He currently ranks seventh in all-time points (89), goals scored (35), 10th in assists (19) and second in game-winning goals (15). In 1987, he earned First-Team All-America honors after scoring 21 goals, 15 assists for 52 points and leading Rutgers to the Region Finals of the NCAA Tournament. He went on to star for the U.S. National team as a member of the 1988 Olympic team and the 1990 World Cup team. He was also named 1988 U.S. Male Soccer Player of the Year. As a professional soccer player, Vermes was the first American to play in both Holland’s and Hungary’s First Division. The 29th overall pick in the 1996 Inaugural Major League Soccer Draft by the MetroStars, Vermes spent seven seasons in the MLS.
Jeff Zaun (1989 - 93)
Inducted 1998
An All-American and National Player of the Year candidate during his time “On the Banks,” Zaun truly made his mark on the Rutgers soccer program. He starred at Rutgers from 1989-1993, leading the Scarlet Knights to a pair of Final Fours, including the NCAA Championship match in 1990. In 1991, Zaun recorded four game-winning goals, guiding the Scarlet Knights to a 19-3-1 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final national poll. A three-time captain, Zaun earned a pair of NSCAA All-Region selections as both a back and a midfielder in 1990 and 1991. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Scarlet Knights, starting 77 games during his career. In his rookie campaign, the former New Jersey High School Player of the Year was named the Atlantic-10 Freshman of the Year in 1989. He went on to earn several All-Atlantic 10 laurels the following years. Rutgers enjoyed a 76-15-4 record during his four seasons with the Scarlet Knights. Upon graduation, Zaun continued his soccer career at the professional level, playing a total of four seasons in the MLS as a member of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and the Chicago Fire.
1990 Team
Inducted 2015
Building off a final four appearance the previous season, the 1990 Rutgers men’s soccer team advanced all the way to the national championship game that resulted in a penalty kick shootout. The Scarlet Knights ended the season at 20-3-2 as they knocked off previously unbeaten and No.1 ranked Evansville to reach the championship match. A first-half goal by Mike Miller would be the only scoring in the match, but also the 15th shutout of the year for the Scarlet Knights and the second number one team to fall to Rutgers in 1990. The Scarlet Knights also dominated top-ranked UCLA in the MetLife Classic and followed with 600 minutes of shutout soccer to close out the regular season. The 20 victories earned by the team under head coach Bob Reasso, which included a win over Penn State to claim its first Atlantic 10 title, still remain an RU record.
Inducted 1996
The first Scarlet Knight booter to have his jersey retired, Art Brinkmann is one of the founders of Rutgers Soccer. He was the program’s first All-American, claiming the honor in 1954 and he holds the school record with six goals in a match. A three-time All-East selection, he scored 49 career goals. He was team captain his junior and senior season, was named the Alfred Sasser Award Winner in 1954 and appeared in Who’s Who in American Colleges &? Universities in 1954 and 1955. Brinkmann was an alternate member of the United States’ Olympic Soccer team that competed in the Summer Games in Helsinki, Finland. In 1956 he was a member of the national champion Eintracht FC. The College Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey elected him to its Hall of Fame in 1995.
Bobby Joe Esposito (1983 - 86)
Inducted 1999
Bobby Joe Esposito was one of the most prolific scorers in Rutgers history. In all four years of his career, he led Rutgers in goals, points, game-winning goals and multiple-goal games. He finished his career with 50 goals which ranks second all-time, 25 career assists (t-fourth) and 125 points (second). He started every game of his career (76) and recorded 16 multiple-goal games. Following his freshman season he was named one of Soccer America’s Top 10 freshmen. In 1986, he led the team with 15 goals and four assists and was named an All-American. A stellar student, he was an Academic All-America in 1986 as well, and played in the 1986 Senior Bowl. Following his career, Esposito spent six years playing professionally in the MISL?and NPSL.
Pedro Lopes (1990 - 94)
Inducted 2004
Lopes, a two-time All-American and two-time recipient of the Bob McNulty Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player, played in four NCAA Tournaments, including two Final Fours during his storied collegiate career. He was named the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year in 1994 when Rutgers advanced to the Final Four for the third time in five seasons. He spearheaded a defense that allowed just 10 goals in 1990, 93 and 94. He scored the game-winning goal in the 1993 Atlantic 10 Championship game and started all 86 games in his collegiate career. Upon graduation, he played professionally with the NJ Imperials and served as an assistant coach at Rutgers for eight seasons before taking over as the head men’s soccer coach at NJIT in 2003.
Alexi Lalas (1988 - 91)
Inducted 1998
Three-time All-American and 1991 consensus National Player of the Year, Alexi Lalas became one of the most recognizable American athletes in the world. In his four years as a Scarlet Knight, he led RU to three NCAA tournaments, including a National Semifinal in 1989 and National Championship game in 1990. In his four seasons, Rutgers compiled a record of 71-15-8. In 1989 and 1990, he was named Third-Team All-American and in 1991, he was recognized as the nation’s finest college soccer player winning the Hermann Award and the Missouri Athletic Club Trophy. That year, he was also named First-Team All-American. He was also a four-time Mid-Atlantic Region choice as well as three-time Atlantic 10 selection. A three-time captain and the only Rutgers soccer player to receive three All-America honors, Lalas was the guiding force to a 15-match unbeaten streak and Rutgers’ first No. 1 ranking in the history of the program during his senior year. In August 2006, he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Dave Masur (1982 - 84)
Inducted 1996
Dave Masur was a two-time All-American and a three-year captain (1982-84). During those three seasons, Masur keyed the Scarlet to a combined 35-14-6 record. A perfect 17-0-2 mark in 1983 garnered Rutgers its first NCAA?Tournament berth in 22 years. That season, he was the third-leading scorer on the team (from the back) with four goals and six assists Masur won the Bob McNulty MVP Award in 1982 & 1983 and was a participant in the 1984 Senior Bowl. He graduated as Rutgers 8th all-time assist leader and 13th in all-time points.
Coach Bob Reasso (1981 - 09)
Inducted 2016
Spending nearly three decades “On The Banks”, Bob Reasso led the Rutgers men’s soccer team to 13 NCAA appearances, including the 1990 national championship game, three Final fours, six league titles and coached 19 Scarlet Knight All-Americans. During his 29 seasons at Rutgers, Reasso compiled an overall record of 351-183-71, winning 10 or more matches in 21 seasons and reaching the 15-win mark seven times. In 1990, building off a Final Four appearance from the previous season, Reasso guided the Scarlet Knights to the national championship game that resulted in a penalty kick shootout. Rutgers ended the season at 20-3-2 as they knocked off previously unbeaten and No.1 ranked Evansville to reach the championship match. The 20 victories earned by the 1990 team under Reasso, which included a win over Penn State to claim its first Atlantic 10 title, still remain an RU record. During his tenure, Reasso was the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year three times and Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year four times.
Herb Schmidt (1959 - 61)
Inducted 1994
Herb Schmidt is the first two-time soccer All-American in Rutgers history. A stalwart scorer from 1959-1961, he also served as the team’s captain in his senior year and was an All-Mid Atlantic selection. The Sasser Award winner, he was also a two-time All-American in Lacrosse. Considered the premier midfielder of his time, he tallied 90 goals, 23 his sophomore year, 33 as a junior, and 34 as a senior. In 1960, Rutgers finished the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record but lost a 4-3 overtime decision to Maryland in the NCAA?tournament. As a student, Schmidt was a member of the Crown and Scroll honor society.
Peter Vermes (1985 - 87)
Inducted 1998
A 1987 First-Team All-American and runner-up for National Player of the Year, Vermes put together one of the finest careers in Rutgers sports history. He currently ranks seventh in all-time points (89), goals scored (35), 10th in assists (19) and second in game-winning goals (15). In 1987, he earned First-Team All-America honors after scoring 21 goals, 15 assists for 52 points and leading Rutgers to the Region Finals of the NCAA Tournament. He went on to star for the U.S. National team as a member of the 1988 Olympic team and the 1990 World Cup team. He was also named 1988 U.S. Male Soccer Player of the Year. As a professional soccer player, Vermes was the first American to play in both Holland’s and Hungary’s First Division. The 29th overall pick in the 1996 Inaugural Major League Soccer Draft by the MetroStars, Vermes spent seven seasons in the MLS.
Jeff Zaun (1989 - 93)
Inducted 1998
An All-American and National Player of the Year candidate during his time “On the Banks,” Zaun truly made his mark on the Rutgers soccer program. He starred at Rutgers from 1989-1993, leading the Scarlet Knights to a pair of Final Fours, including the NCAA Championship match in 1990. In 1991, Zaun recorded four game-winning goals, guiding the Scarlet Knights to a 19-3-1 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final national poll. A three-time captain, Zaun earned a pair of NSCAA All-Region selections as both a back and a midfielder in 1990 and 1991. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Scarlet Knights, starting 77 games during his career. In his rookie campaign, the former New Jersey High School Player of the Year was named the Atlantic-10 Freshman of the Year in 1989. He went on to earn several All-Atlantic 10 laurels the following years. Rutgers enjoyed a 76-15-4 record during his four seasons with the Scarlet Knights. Upon graduation, Zaun continued his soccer career at the professional level, playing a total of four seasons in the MLS as a member of the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and the Chicago Fire.
1990 Team
Inducted 2015
Building off a final four appearance the previous season, the 1990 Rutgers men’s soccer team advanced all the way to the national championship game that resulted in a penalty kick shootout. The Scarlet Knights ended the season at 20-3-2 as they knocked off previously unbeaten and No.1 ranked Evansville to reach the championship match. A first-half goal by Mike Miller would be the only scoring in the match, but also the 15th shutout of the year for the Scarlet Knights and the second number one team to fall to Rutgers in 1990. The Scarlet Knights also dominated top-ranked UCLA in the MetLife Classic and followed with 600 minutes of shutout soccer to close out the regular season. The 20 victories earned by the team under head coach Bob Reasso, which included a win over Penn State to claim its first Atlantic 10 title, still remain an RU record.
