Former Scarlet Knight Trish DiPaolo begins her 12th season on staff in 2025, serving as volunteer assistant coach and currently as director of operations. DiPaolo, a four-year captain and seven-year player for RU, overcame numerous injuries and served as an integral part of the Scarlet Knights' success in her career. Rutgers has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in all of DiPaolo's seasons on staff.
DiPaolo was part of the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Regional Coaching Staff of the Year at Rutgers. RU earned its first Big Ten Conference title for the program and school, posting an undefeated record of 10-0 in league action. 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.
In 2017, DiPaolo led the effort to team up Rutgers women’s soccer and Mandy Gonzalez, a Broadway star in the musical sensation Hamilton, for the “Fearless Girl” fundraiser. The event, inspired by the Fearless Girl statue on Wall Street, was formed to empower and inspire strong, independent and confident young women to dream big and execute on their dreams.
The inaugural event took place on Rutgers campus and included numerous speakers - women's soccer alum Christy Monroy, Sky Blue FC's Janine Beckie, Dr. Yelena Janjigian, Grammy-Winner Gloria Gaynor, and Mandy Gonzalez.
The initiative continues to grow. In 2019, the Fearless Together Fundraiser hosted in partnership with RWJ Barnabas Health welcomed nearly 300 fearless guests to a sold-out event – designed to bring the community together and inspire youth to be brave, proud, strong and fearless together – at the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Courtyard.
The guest speakers included Heather O'Reilly, Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion of the U.S. Women's National Team, former Scarlet Knight Meghan Cameron, senior defender Kenie Wright, and Players Development Academy member Nicky Chico.
DiPaolo's experience includes time at the club, high school, college and professional levels. In 2016, DiPaolo earned a spot as a back on Sky Blue FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She has served as a student assistant coach since 2007 at the Rutgers University Soccer Youth Camps, providing training and instruction throughout camp sessions. Further, DiPaolo has six years of experience with East Brunswick Girls Soccer as a trainer under head coach Eddy Lam. Since 2013, DiPaolo has been a coach at the Players Development Academy (PDA).
In 2011, DiPaolo worked as an assistant strength and conditioning intern at Lake Highland Prepatory High School in Orlando, Fla. While there, she conducted training sessions incorporating weight lifting, speed and agility-specific soccer drills.
DiPaolo tied for third in Rutgers history with 85 matches at the end of her career and was the unheralded leader of the squad since the 2010 season. Initially a forward, DiPaolo closed her career as the leader in the backfield for Rutgers and ended her time in Scarlet with four goals and nine assists.
The Sparta, New Jersey, native earned her bachelor's degree in exercise science and sport management from Rutgers in May of 2011 and went on to finish her master's degree in human resource management "On the Banks" in 2013.
