Rutgers
Penn State
Men's Soccer Takes Short Trip to Penn State Tuesday Night
Oct 19 | Men's Soccer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ā Rutgers men's soccer will take the quick trip to Penn State for a midweek Tuesday night contest. Ā
Match Details Ā
Rutgers (6-6-1, 3-3 Big Ten) vs. Penn State (2-7-2, 0-5-2 B1G) Ā
7 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Oct. 20Ā
Jeffrey FieldĀ | University Park, Pa.Ā
TV: B1G+Ā
Last Time OutĀ Ā Ā
The Scarlet Knights earned a signature victory on Friday night, handing No. 2 Indiana (11-1-2, 4-1-1 B1G) its first loss of the season, 1-0, behind a second-half goal fromĀ Francesco Di PonzioĀ and a strong defensive performance from RU.Ā Ā
After a scoreless opening half, Rutgers broke through as DiPonzio stayed with his initial blocked shot, gathered the rebound and finished with his right foot to the far post past the Indiana goalkeeper. The Scarlet Knights held off the Hoosiers the rest of the way to secure the shutout victory over the nation's No. 2 team.Ā Ā Ā
The win marked Rutgers' first victory over Indiana since the 2022 Big Ten Championship game, when the Scarlet Knights defeated the Hoosiers, 3-1, at Yurcak Field.Ā Ā
Ranked ReapersĀ
Rutgers men's soccer has proven it can compete with the nation's best, earning a series of impressive upsets against nationally ranked opponents. Ā
The Scarlet Knights opened their run of ranked victories with a stunning 3-1 win over No. 11 UCLA on Sept. 11, highlighted by goals from Nick Collins, Erick Ruiz and William Pierce. Rutgers followed up with a 2-0 victory over No. 11 Princeton at Yurcak Field behind scores from Abubakar Mayanja and Pierce.Ā Ru kept the momentum going on the road,Ā with a 2-1 winĀ over No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus, completing three consecutive ranked wins in a 10-day span. Ā
Most recently, the Scarlet Knights delivered their biggest win of the season, taking down previously unbeaten No. 2 Indiana, 1-0, at Yurcak Field on Oct. 16 behind Francesco Di Ponzio's second-half goal and a strong defensive effort. The victory marked Rutgers' second win over a top three opponent this season and its highest-ranked win of the Jim McElderry era.Ā
The ReturnersĀ Ā Ā
Rutgers returns 17 student-athletes who saw action during the 2025 season, including seven players who started at least 12 matches.Ā Ā Ā
The Scarlet Knights bring back three key pieces of the backline in Collins, Braxton Montgomery and Devon Stopek, all of whom appeared in every match last season.Ā Ā Ā
In addition, Rutgers returns eight of its 10 goal scorers from a year ago, accounting for 17 of the team's goals in 2025.Ā Ā Ā
Welcoming the NewcomersĀ Ā Ā
McElderry and his staff welcomed 11 new faces "On The Banks" during the offseason, including seven transfers and four first-year players.Ā Ā Ā
The transfer class brings veteran talent from across the country, combining for 103 career games of collegiate experience.Ā Ā Ā
Transfers: Rafael Ponce de Leon (Northwestern), Charlie Kitch (Elon), Pius Ssebulime (Gardner-Webb), Zach Mastrodimos (UCLA), William Pierce (Fairfield), Jan Ziewiec (Hofstra) and Abubaker Mayanja (UNC)Ā Ā Ā
First Years: Brian Nascimento, Julian Chapman, Noah Hannawald and Hector CriadoĀ Ā
Up NextĀ Ā Ā
Rutgers will welcome Michigan to Yurcak Field on Friday, Oct. 23 att 7 p.m. for Senior Day. Ā
Follow Rutgers Men's Soccer on Social MediaĀ Ā Ā Ā
