Women's Lacrosse Unveils 2016 Schedule
Dec 12 | Women's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The 2016 schedule for Rutgers women's lacrosse is set, with seven NCAA qualifiers and two-time defending champion Maryland on the slate for the Scarlet Knights as they enter their second season in the Big Ten Conference.
Rutgers will face seven opponents - No. 1 Maryland, No. 5 Penn State, No. 6 Northwestern, No. 13 UPenn, No. 15 Ohio State, No. 17 Johns Hopkins, and No. 20 James Madison - that finished the 2015 season ranked in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Coaches Poll. All seven of those programs qualified for the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
In total, Rutgers will host eight games at High Point Solutions Stadium and play eight on the road.
"We continue to challenge our program with a first class schedule full of quality competition," said head coach Laura Brand-Sias. "The talent in the Big Ten speaks for itself, but we are just as excited about our out of conference slate. This season promises to present many challenges and we can't wait to get started."
The 16-game regular season begins on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Villanova at 1 p.m. Including the matchup with the Wildcats, the nonconference road schedule includes contests at in-state foe Monmouth (Feb. 17) and regional battles at UPenn (March 2), Temple (March 9), Hofstra (March 25), and Lehigh (April 5).
Rutgers' home season begins on Sunday, Feb. 21 against Johns Hopkins. Also visiting Piscataway as part of RU's nonconference schedule are Delaware (Feb. 27), UConn (March 5), Lafayette (March 15), and James Madison (March 19).
The Scarlet Knights kick off the Big Ten Conference season with a trip to Penn State on Saturday, April 2. The Nittany Lions won the inaugural Big Ten Championship last season at High Point Solutions Stadium by defeating fourth-seeded Ohio State, 13-11.
Following the trip to University Park, Pa., Rutgers hosts its first conference opponent of the season in two-time defending national champion, Maryland, on Saturday, April 9. Maryland has won 44 of its last 46 games and is 15-1 in its last 16 road meetings.
The road portion of RU's schedule concludes on Sunday, April 17 at Northwestern. The Wildcats went 14-7 last season before being knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by Maryland. NU won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2011 and 2012.
Rutgers ends the year with a two-game homestand at High Point Solutions Stadium. The Scarlet Knights welcome Ohio State on Thursday, April 21, followed by Michigan on Saturday, April 30.
The Buckeyes made a run to the Big Ten Championship final before falling to PSU. RU defeated Michigan, 7-6, on April 26 in Ann Arbor, Mich., last season for the first Big Ten win in program history.
Northwestern will host the 2016 Big Ten Championship from May 5-8 in Evanston, Ill. RU hosted the inaugural Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Championship at High Point Solutions Stadium in 2015.
The Scarlet Knights return 10 players with starting experience from last year's squad, including 66 percent of their scoring. Rising seniors Kim Kolodny (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Halley Barnes (Garnet Valley, Pa.) posted 26 and 20 goals, respectively, last season.
Women's Lacrosse 2016 Schedule
| Date | Location | Opponent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, Feb. 13 | Villanova, Pa. | Villanova | 1 p.m. |
| Wed., Feb. 17 | Long Branch, N.J. | Monmouth | 3 p.m. |
| Sun., Feb. 21 | High Point Solutions Stadium | Johns Hopkins | 1 p.m. |
| Sat., Feb. 27 | High Point Solutions Stadium | Delaware | Noon |
| Wed., March 2 | Philadelphia | UPenn | 6:30 p.m. |
| Sat., March 5 | High Point Solutions Stadium | UConn | 1 p.m. |
| Wed., March 9 | Philadelphia | Temple | 3 p.m. |
| Tues., March 15 | High Point Solutions Stadium | Lafayette | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., March 19 | High Point Solutions Stadium | James Madison | Noon |
| Fri., March 25 | Hempstead, N.Y. | Hofstra | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., April 2 | University Park, Pa. | Penn State | 1 p.m. |
| Tues., April 5 | Bethlehem, Pa. | Lehigh | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., April 9 | High Point Solutions Stadium | Maryland | 7 p.m. |
| Sun., April 17 | Evanston, Ill. | Northwestern | Noon |
| Thurs., April 21 | High Point Solutions Stadium | Ohio State | 7 p.m. |
| Sat., April 30 | High Point Solutions Stadium | Michigan | Noon |
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers women's lacrosse, follow the program Facebook, and on Twitter and Instagram @RULaxBrand. Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.
