By JOE O’GORMAN
Staff Writer
The Trentonian
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Rutgers University recently released the 2010 men’s lacrosse schedule, and once again it will be a challenging one as the Scarlet Knights begin play in the Big East.
The Scarlet Knights appear to be armed and ready for the upcoming season as they are returning eight starters from last year, including All-ECAC performer Justin Pennington.
After membership in the ECAC for many years the program will be a part of the initial Big East conference along with Georgetown, Villanova, St. John’s, Providence, Notre Dame and perennial national championship contender Syracuse.
The schedule begins on the road as the Scarlet Knights head to Wagner on Feb. 21. Then they return home for four straight non-conference games against UMBC (Feb. 27), St. Joseph’s (March 6), Penn State (March 13) and the homestand wraps up with Marist (March 16) at Yurcak Field.
Boosting the Scarlet Knights hopes are local players, Steven Watson (Montgomery), Sean Hover and Kevin Hover (Montgomery), Rudy Butler (Montgomery), Taylor Vickers-Annis (Princeton) and Duncan Clancy (Lawrenceville).
South Brunswick’s Kory Kelly led the Scarlet Knights with 27 goals as they struggled through a 4-11 season.
Big East play will begin on March 2nd when the Scarlet Knights travel to South Bend and face Notre Dame. The schedule includes a trip to Florida with a game against Jacksonville, which is in its inaugural season.
The longtime rivalry with Princeton will continue on April 13 on the Tigers Class of ’52 Stadium at 7 p.m.
Rutgers will be making a national television appearance on Saturday, April 18 when two-time defending national champion Syracuse visits Piscataway as 6 p.m. The game will be seen on ESPNU.
Besides Syracuse, Princeton, Notre Dame, UMBC, Georgetown, Penn State and Villanova all were nationally ranked last year and will be a tough test for the Scarlet Knights as they strive for another NCAA appearance.
Jim Stagnitta’s team will close out the season with three Big East games beginning with Villanova at home and then they travel to Georgetown and end the regular season at Providence.
