The Rutgers Scarlet Knights field hockey program entered the 2025 season with a modest 9‑9 record, a tally that belied the difficulty of the schedule they faced. Competing against teams that eventually made the NCAA Tournament, including Northwestern and Princeton, the squad showed resilience despite a 4‑4 conference slate.
A Season of Near Misses
Despite dropping four of their ten Big Ten contests, the team secured a No. 4 seed in the conference tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they fell to Michigan in double overtime. The loss underscored how close the program has consistently been to an at‑large NCAA bid.
Head coach Meredith Civico, now in her 14th year at the helm, brings a career record of 144‑113, reflecting the stability and continuity she has provided to a program that has flirted with the national stage for several seasons.
A Fresh Wave of Talent
The offseason brought a wave of new faces, each with a distinct story that adds intrigue to the 2026 campaign. Ella Gandy arrives as a freshman after capturing a Princeton national championship and earning a Junior National Championship nod, while Lauren Iaccio and Gandy rekindle a childhood connection that began in Mullica Hill.
Paige Knesich, a senior goalkeeper from Staples High School, earned a 2025 MAX Field Hockey First Team All‑Northeast Region honor, bringing a proven presence between the posts. International additions include Eden Doucelin, a Belgian national team regular since the U‑15 ranks, and Sarah Torney, a Belfast Harlequins standout who captured Player of the Year at Methodist College Belfast.
Talia Schenck, who transferred from Princeton after a stress fracture ended her season, now returns with a renewed perspective, while Laura Loycke draws on championship experiences in Germany, Australia, France and the United States. Emma Uprichard, an Irish U‑18 and U‑21 representative who honed her game at Surbiton, rounds out the incoming class, which also features Gandy’s Clearview Regional pedigree.
Looking Forward to 2026
The Scarlet Knights open the new year with exhibition matches against Drexel and Villanova before hosting a much‑anticipated home opener against UConn, a test that could set the tone for the season. The ultimate aim is clear: shed the hurdle that has kept them out of the NCAA Tournament in three of the last four years and secure a berth that reflects the program’s upward trajectory.