Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers University's school color is scarlet. Initially, students sought to make orange the school color, citing Rutgers' Dutch heritage and in reference to the Prince of Orange. The Daily Targum first proposed that scarlet be adopted in May 1869, claiming that it was a striking color and because scarlet ribbon was easily obtained. During the first intercollegiate football game with Princeton on November 6, 1869, the players from Rutgers wore scarlet-colored turbans and handkerchiefs to distinguish them as a team from the Princeton players.[3] The Board of Trustees officially made scarlet the school colors in 1900.[3]

In its early days, Rutgers athletes were known informally as "The Scarlet" in reference to the school color, or as "Queensmen" in reference to the institution's first name, Queen's College.[3] In 1925, the mascot was changed to Chanticleer, a fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renart) which was used by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales.[3] At the time, the student humour magazine at Rutgers was called Chanticleer, and one of its early arts editors, Ozzie Nelson (later of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet fame) was quarterback of the Rutgers team from 1924 to 1926.[18] The Chanticleer mascot was unveiled at a football game against Lafayette College, in which Lafayette was also introducing a new mascot, a leopard.[18] However, the choice of Chanticleer as a mascot was often the subject of ridicule because of its association with "being chicken."[19] In 1955, the mascot was changed to the Scarlet Knight after a campus-wide election, beating out other contenders such as "Queensmen", the "Scarlet", the "Red Lions", the "Redmen" and the "Flying Dutchmen."[3][20] Earlier proposed nicknames included "Pioneers" and "Cannoneers". When Harvey Harman, then coach of the football team, was asked why he supported changing the Rutgers mascot, he was quoted as saying, "You can call it the Chanticleer, you can call it a fighting cock, you can call it any damn thing you want, but everybody knows it's a chicken."[21] Harman later is said to have bought the first "Scarlet Knight" mascot costume for the 1955 season, which was to be his final season as football coach at Rutgers.[22]

Several school songs are connected with the school's athletic heritage. The alma mater of Rutgers University is On the Banks of the Old Raritan with words written by Howard Fullerton (Rutgers Class of 1874) and adapted to an old Scottish melody On the Banks of the Old Dundee.[23][24] It is typically performed at the close of athletic events by the university's marching band, the Marching Scarlet Knights (also called "The Pride of New Jersey"), at Rutgers University Glee Club concerts, commencement and other important school events. The university's fight song, The Bells Must Ring, is performed often during athletic events especially in recognition of notable scores. Written in 1931 for entry in a student song contest, pianist Richard M. Hadden (Rutgers Class of 1932) composed the song with W. E. Sanford (Rutgers Class of 1930). Between the verses of the fight song, the spirit chant is rhythmically shouted.[25]

This chant is one of many recited during Rutgers athletic events. Another popular chant, where one side of the crowd yells out "R" and the other "U" antiphonally, is often performed. The original spirit chant used at Rutgers was "Rah! Rah! Rah! Bow-wow-wow! Rutgers!" However, it has not been performed in the modern era.[2][26]

Other notable songs include Nobody ever died for Dear Old Rutgers composed by Jule Styne to lyrics by Sammy Cahn from the 1947 musical High Button Shoes parodies an 1892 game in which Frank "Pop" Grant, a Rutgers football player, was being taken from the field because of injuries and stated that he would "die for dear old Rutgers." Other's sources state that the player stated "I will die if somebody does not give me a cigarette."[27] The song Loyal Sons which exhorts Rutgers athletes (particularly football players) to "hit the line and run the ends boys...Score once more. Oh score once more."

Rutgers maintains athletic rivalries with other collegiate institutions. The university has historic rivalries with Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Princeton University and Columbia University (formerly King's College) originating from the early days of college football. While they maintain the Princeton rivalry in other sports, neither of them have met in football since 1980. Rutgers has a men's basketball rivalry with Seton Hall University.[28]

The university's longest active football rivalry is with Navy (dating back to 1891). This rivalry stems from Navy and Rutgers being two of the only three programs (the third is Army) to come out of the original, informal "Ivy League" that are still members of the top tier of NCAA college football (currently Division I FBS). Rutgers was a part of a round-robin conference known as the Middle Three Conference in football from 1929 through 1976, which included Lafayette and Lehigh. The winner of the annual round-robin received the Little Brass Cannon. The schools frequently met in other intercollegiate sports.(See Before There Was An Ivy League.)

Rutgers' Scarlet Knights' running back Ray Rice follows his blockers in a game against the Pittsburgh Panthers on October 21, 2006.

Despite being the "Birthplace of College Football" and sharing the 1869 national championship with Princeton University in the first year of intercollegiate play, Rutgers has not had an overly successful heritage in the sport through the years.[29] With 667 losses, Rutgers is among the losingest programs in the history of college football. Especially in the last three decades, Rutgers was regarded as one of the worst teams in what is now known as FBS (known as Division I-A before 2006), posting several losing seasons in a row and raising discussion of possibly reducing the team to I-AA/FCS competition.[30][31] For most of its existence, the football team was not associated with any formal football conference and remained independent even when the first football leagues were forming.[12][29] At present, Rutgers participates in Division I FBS and joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014, after more than two decades in the original Big East Conference and one season in its football-sponsoring offshoot, the American Athletic Conference.[12] Current coach Chris Ash replaced Kyle Flood, who was let go from the program after a poor 2015 season. Flood had replaced Greg Schiano who, after leading Rutgers to its first bowl games in decades, accepted the head coaching job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 2006, Rutgers boasted its best season in three decades, beginning its first nine games undefeated. Sports commentators and writers began referring to the 2006 season as Rutgers' "Cinderella season" as each week passed in victory, and Rutgers gained nationwide attention and raised discussion of a possible national championship appearance.[32][33] Rutgers ascended the major college football polls from starting the season unranked to achieving its highest ranking ever after the Scarlet Knights' November 9 victory over the third-ranked, undefeated Louisville Cardinals. The 28–25 contest was won by kicker Jeremy Ito, who kicked the game-winning field goal at the end of the game. After the field goal was made, announcer Chris Carlan said his famous line: "It's pandemonium in Piscataway!" as excited fans stormed the field. "Piscataway" references the fact that the game was played in Piscataway, New Jersey, where Rutgers' Football Stadium is located. Rutgers fans still revel in the memory of the game, as it alleviated the stress of so many losing seasons, and marked the pinnacle of Rutgers football. Many fans consider it to be the best football game in Rutgers history. After this game, Rutgers jumped to seventh in the AP Poll, eighth in the USA Today/Coaches poll, seventh in the Harris Interactive Poll, and sixth in the Bowl Championship Series rankings.[34][35] Finishing the regular season with a record of 10–2, with losses to the Cincinnati Bearcats and West Virginia Mountaineers. With a 37–10 victory over the Kansas State Wildcats in the inaugural Texas Bowl, Rutgers finished the 2006 season with a record of 11–2 and were ranked twelfth in the nation in the final Associated Press poll.[36] This was Rutgers' highest final ranking ever in any national football poll, although they were ranked in the Top 25 of the Associated Press final poll previously in 1958, 1961 and 1976.[37][38]

The 2006 team featured players such as Maxwell Award finalist, All-American halfback Ray Rice, quarterback Mike Teel, fullback Brian Leonard, tight end Clark Harris, wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, All-American defensive tackle Eric Foster, safety Courtney Greene, kicker Jeremy Ito, and punter Joe Radigan, who holds the longest-punt record (78 yards) in Rutgers history. Rice, who during the season broke several Rutgers football records, and with 1,794 rushing yards set the Big East's single-season record, came in seventh in voting for the 2006 Heisman Trophy.[37] Head Coach Greg Schiano was awarded the 2006 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, the Home Depot Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award from the Football Writers Association of America.[37]

Interior of the Rutgers Athletic Center, known also as the "RAC", during a game between Rutgers and Villanova, January 11, 2006

The Rutgers men's basketball team was among the "Final Four" in the 1976 Division I NCAA Tournament and ended the 1976 season ranked fourth in the nation, after an 86–70 loss against the Michigan Wolverines in the semifinal round and a 106–92 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the tournament's third-place consolation game.[39] This was the last men's Division I tournament to date to feature two unbeaten teams, as both Indiana, who won that year's title, and Rutgers entered the tournament unbeaten. Rutgers went 31–0 during the regular season.

The Scarlet Knights also played in the 2004 NIT Final, where they were defeated by the Michigan Wolverines. In 2005–2006 Quincy Douby set a Rutgers Basketball single season record by scoring 839 points.[40] He left after his junior year to enter the NBA Draft. Center Hamady N'Diaye, taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves and traded to the Washington Wizards during the 2010 NBA Draft, was the last former Scarlet Knight in the NBA. The Scarlet Knights' current coach is Steve Pikiell.

The Scarlet Knights women's basketball of late has been one of the more successful programs in the school. A notable season would be the 2005–2006 season, when Rutgers at one point was ranked fourth in the nation and reached the Elite Eight behind the shooting of Cappie Pondexter. In the 2006–07 season, Rutgers finished second in the regular season behind UConn, but went on to defeat the Huskies in the Big East Championship game.

Rutgers beat first seeded Duke 53–52 in the 2007 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament, and advanced to the 2007 Women's Final Four. In the national semifinals, they would defeat LSU, 59–35 and advance to their first ever National Championship game. In that game, however, they lost to the Tennessee Lady Volunteers by the score of 59–46.

In June 2007, the Rutgers women's basketball team earned the Irv Grossman Award of Merit as providing service and unique achievement to increase appreciation for and elevate the status of women's collegiate sports on a national level. The award is named after Irv Grossman, the founder of the Honda Awards Program.

In 2007, the team also won the Wilma Rudolph Courage award. This award is given annually to a female athlete or team who exhibits extraordinary courage in her athletic performance, demonstrates the ability to overcome adversity, makes significant contributions to sports and serves as an inspiration and role model to those who face challenges, overcomes them and strives for success at all levels.

The team is currently coached by C. Vivian Stringer.

Founded in 1984, the Scarlet Knights women's soccer team has earned twelve at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament (1987, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and has won three Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship titles (1990, 1991, 1992).[41]

The Scarlet Knights softball team has appeared in two Women's College World Series, in 1979 and 1981.[42]

On March 23, 2019, Nick Suriano and Anthony Ashnault became the first two NCAA national champions in Rutgers history.[43]

Founded in 2013, the Rutgers Nearly Headless Knights play in a full contact, co-Ed league as a club sport team for the University. Led by president and captains Lindsay Marella and Phillip Cain, the team has won a few local tournaments and is making moves to advance in World Cup IX, the sport's national championship.

Founded in 1965, Rutgers Rugby Football Club plays Division 1 college rugby in the Empire Conference against local rivals such as Syracuse. For the 2010–11 and 2011-12 seasons, Rutgers played in the College Premier Division, where they were led by Evan Fitzgerald, who holds Rutgers career records in tries scored (32) and points scored (176).[44] Rutgers finished the 2010–11 season ranked 24th in the nation.[45] Rutgers Rugby is active in spreading the sport of rugby throughout New Jersey through involvement in youth leagues and inter-state competitions.[46] Rutgers Rugby is led by head coaches Mark Dobbs and Omar Rivera.

The first intercollegiate competition in Ultimate Frisbee (now called simply "Ultimate") was held between students from Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1972 to mark the one hundred third anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game. Rutgers won 29–27.[47] The Rutgers Ultimate club continued to thrive adopting the name Hot Animal Machine, which later became just Machine. They compete today in the Metro East division of USA Ultimate, the governing body of North American Ultimate.[48][49]

In 1933 and 1934, Rutgers won the collegiate national championships in powerboating.[50][51]

Rutgers has won 1 NCAA national championship:[52]

• Men's (1)
  • Fencing (1): 1949
• See also:
  • List of NCAA schools with the most NCAA Division I championships
  • Big Ten Conference NCAA national team championships

Below are 3 national team titles that were not bestowed by the NCAA:[53]

• Women's (3):
  • Basketball (AIAW) (1): 1982
  • Cheerleading (2): 1998, 2009
• See also:
  • List of Big Ten Conference National Championships

• Men's Conference Champions:
  • Baseball, Big East Tournament champions (1998)
  • Baseball, Big East Tournament champions (2000)
  • Baseball, Big East Conference champions (2000)
  • Baseball, Big East Tournament champions (2007)
  • Basketball, Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament champions (1989)
  • Track & Field, Outdoor Big East champions (2005)
  • Football, Big East Conference Co-Champions (2012)
• Women's Conference Champions:
  • Basketball, Big East Tournament champions (2007)
  • Soccer, Big East Conference champions (1997)

• Postseason bowl victories:
  • Texas Bowl (2006)
  • International Bowl (2008)
  • Papa John's Bowl (2008)
  • St. Petersburg Bowl (2009)
  • New Era Pinstripe Bowl (2011)
  • Quick Lane Bowl (2014)
• Other championships:
  • Men's track & field, Indoor IC4A Champions (2005)
  • Men's track & field, Outdoor IC4A Champions (2005)
  • Women's basketball, WNIT Champions (2014)

Rutgers University's seventeenth president, Edward J. Bloustein (1925–1989) envisioned a drive for success at Rutgers that involved participation in "bigger-time" athletics. Several of the nation's colleges became associated with Division I-AA (now FCS) when that designation was established in the late 1970s, including many of Rutgers' historic rivals like Princeton, Columbia, Lehigh and Lafayette College. Bloustein decided that Rutgers ought to pursue developments that would place the university on par with comparable state universities both academically and athletically. This led to Rutgers opting for inclusion among Division I, and later, under president Francis L. Lawrence, to join the Big East Conference in 1991.

William C. Dowling, a University Professor in the Department of English, and other like-minded faculty, students and alumni organized a movement known as "Rutgers 1000"[54] in 1993, working to return Rutgers to its older tradition of participatory athletics by joining such institutions as the University of Chicago and NYU in the NCAA's Div III. Though the group dissolved itself in 2003 under the mistaken impression that President Richard McCormick supported its position, it was revived in 2007 when McCormick and the Board of Governors announced a $102 million expansion of the football stadium. Also in 2007, Professor Dowling came under fire from athletic director Bob Mulcahy, regarding remarks Mulcahy claimed to perceive as being insulting to minority athletes.[55] In 2011, Dowling received the Drake Group's Robert Maynard Hutchins Award[56] for his opposition to the degradation of academic and intellectual values at Rutgers by commercialized Div IA athletics.

Rutgers efforts to upgrade the quality of its football program have raised criticism of many alumni, faculty and students regarding the size of athletic department's budget, wishing to divert its funds elsewhere. The athletic department's budget is $35.5 million[57] compared to a $1.6 billion budget for the entire university.[58] Most of the athletics budget comes from self-generating revenue (ticket sales, merchandise, broadcast rights), while the rest is taken from mandatory student fees. Though widely dismissed by Rutgers 1000 supporters as a logical fallacy[59] the argument that having a very visible football program increases the donations to the athletic department and even the university as a whole is made by some Scarlet R supporters. An increase in enrollment applications of 12% upon joining the Big 10 Conference, and applicants who score 20 points higher on the SAT would tend to bear that out.

Though some critics feared that the focus on FBS athletics would lower admissions and academic standards, the Rutgers football team set a record high for Academic Performance Rate (APR) of any Football Bowl Sub-division team with a score of 992 in 2010.[60] A final complaint was that the upgraded football schedule would prevent competing against long standing rivals Princeton, Columbia, Lehigh, and Lafayette. However, supporters of the move claim it would make Rutgers more comparable to large, prestigious state universities such as the University of Michigan and University of California and private institutions such as Stanford University which have been touted for balancing their academic reputation with athletic success.

In the writing of New Jersey's 2006 state budget, the state legislature cut $66 million from the government's appropriations to Rutgers. The university responded by reducing several classes, laying off staff and junior faculty, and closing several programs. The athletic department announced that it would be ending six athletic programs beginning in the 2007–2008 academic year. These athletic programs affected are the men's lightweight and heavyweight Crew (see list of Rutgers Crew Olympic and National Team members below; prior to the cuts Rutgers Crew produced at least 15 Olympians and National Men's Team members), the men's swimming and diving team, men's tennis teams and the men's and women's fencing. Title IX concerns also played a significant role in these cuts.

Rutgers University fields 27 sports teams from their New Brunswick Campus for NCAA Division I competition, with the football team playing in the top-level FBS subdivision. Most of the university's 14 athletic venues and facilities are currently located in Piscataway on the Busch and Livingston campuses, with two facilities in New Brunswick (the College Avenue Gymnasium and the Class of 1914 Boathouse). Though the College Avenue Gymnasium has hosted a large variety of athletic events—including memorable games in the 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament in which Rutgers advanced to the "Final Four", subsequently ending the season fourth in the nation—it was also the site of conventions to revise the New Jersey State Constitution in 1947 and 1966.[61]

One hundred and twenty-five years after Rutgers and Princeton inaugurated the tradition of American football, High Point Solutions Stadium, which opened as 42,000 seat facility but has since been expanded to over 52,000, was opened during the 1994 football season. The field at High Point Solutions Stadium is large enough to host national and international soccer matches.[62] The Rutgers Athletic Center, commonly known as the RAC, is home to the Rutgers men's and women's basketball programs and has a capacity of 8,000 seats.

The soccer teams play at Yurcak Field, which accommodates over 5,000 fans. The lacrosse teams played here from 1994 until 2013 before moving to the High Point Solutions Stadium in 2014. Built in 1994, Yurcak Field, recognized as one of the premiere collegiate venues for these two sports in the United States, was named in honor of Rutgers alumnus Ronald N. Yurcak, a 1965 All-American Lacrosse player.[63] Rutgers also operates an 18-hole 6,337-yard, par 71 golf course, designed by Hal Purdy and awarded four stars in 2004 by Golf Magazine and ranked by Golf Digest as "Best Place to Play".[64]

• Demarest, William Henry Steele. History of Rutgers College: 1776–1924. (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers College, 1924). (No ISBN)
• Dowling, William C. Confessions of a Spoilsport: My Life and Hard Times Fighting Sports Corruption at an Old Eastern University. (Penn State University Press, 2007). ISBN 978-0-271-03293-1.
• Leitch, A Princeton Companion (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1978).
• Lukac, George J. (ed.), Aloud to Alma Mater. (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1966), 70–73. (No ISBN)
• McCormick, Richard P. Rutgers: a Bicentennial History. (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1966). ISBN 0-8135-0521-6
• Schmidt, George P. Princeton and Rutgers: The Two Colonial Colleges of New Jersey. (Princeton, New Jersey: Van Nostrand, 1964). (No ISBN)

• Division I-A Historical Scores Index by James Howell.