A Message from Pat Hobbs
Director of Intercollegiate Athletics
This past year continued to bring its share of challenges for all of us. Yet, as Rutgers Nation always does, we fought through adversity, and together have been able to celebrate some of our biggest accomplishments. Through their achievements in the classroom and in athletic competition, student-athletes are tremendous ambassadors for Rutgers University. They embody the values we hold in highest esteem—excellence, integrity, respect, accountability, and grit. Their growing success is a testimony to the care and support Scarlet Knight student-athletes receive thanks to R Fund donors.
It is through your generosity that our Scarlet Knights continue to represent Rutgers. With more than 530,000 alumni worldwide, the R Fund community is far-reaching. Gifts of any size play a pivotal role in helping Rutgers student-athletes accomplish their competitive dreams and fulfill their potential beyond college.
You often hear me say that we are writing the next great chapter of Rutgers Athletics, and thanks in large part to R Fund donors, this year has been a historic part of that chapter.
The following report shows the immediate and long-lasting impact R Fund donors have on our Scarlet Knight student-athletes. Through the priority funds of The Bells Must Ring campaign, you are helping to build lifelong skills that our Scarlet Knights will use to achieve excellence during their time at Rutgers, and long after.
We could not be more appreciative of your unwavering commitment to the success and wellness of our Scarlet Knights.
In This Report:
Knight of Networking
Student-athlete event returns from virtual format to in-person engagement with great success.
The support that Scarlet Knight student-athletes receive from R Fund donors goes far beyond a financial impact. The Office of Student-Athlete Development and Success focuses on just that, ensuring that every Scarlet Knight is armed with the tools to pursue and achieve their goals long after their competitive days end.
The Scarlet Knight For Life program is a comprehensive approach to guiding student-athletes through their personal and professional development. The Knight of Networking is a key event that prepares student-athletes, giving them the real-life experience of the interview process and making professional connections.
The Knight of Networking pairs former student-athletes or individuals connected with Rutgers Athletics with current Scarlet Knights to explore potential post-graduate career opportunities. In fall 2021, the event returned to an in-person format after having been held virtually while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This opportunity provides current Rutgers student-athletes the ability to receive guidance towards success after sport,” said Ashley Campo, a member of the women’s lacrosse team and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee E-Board Alumni Engagement and Special Events Sub-Committee Chair. “It is a chance to gain intuition through the network of alumni who share their experience and support student-athlete career development. Knight of Networking is our main event to connect alumni and current student athletes to give them a professional opportunity to interact.”
It was the most attended Knight of Networking to date with 60 professionals on hand to engage with more than 135 student-athletes across 18 sports. In a commitment to providing personalized attention to each student-athlete, individuals were paired with professionals based on their career and industry interests. These areas of focus included finance, health care, human resource management, education, marketing, communications, and sports.
“This year, our goal was to have a 10 percent increase in the number of student-athletes attending the Knight of Networking,” said Campo. “We crushed that goal with a record number of student-athletes and professionals.”
The Office of Student-Athlete Development and Success is pivotal to ensuring each student-athlete has access to the resources necessary to fulfill their goals after graduation. R Fund supporters are critical to this success.
Mentally Prepared
Scarlet Knights get their heads in the game with the help of sports psychology.
Scarlet Knights receive superior training, but that training is not limited to conditioning, strength building, and skill development. Donor support for the Big Ten Champions Fund helps our athletes access mental fitness training through the Rutgers Sports Psychology Program. This resource assists student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and staff in addressing the psychological challenges of competing at the highest levels.
“Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness. It’s critical,” says Peter J. Economou, an associate professor at Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and director of behavioral health and wellness for Rutgers Athletics.
Destigmatization of mental health care has normalized the building of these skill sets as part of student-athletes’ growth and development. Economou credits visibility and access as keys to this growth. “Destigmatization occurs by relationship building. And that’s something necessary to build a team. We’re now more visible. We’re in the locker room. We’re at practice and games.”
One student-athlete commented on the benefits of receiving mental fitness training: “It has encouraged me to eliminate all expectations, as they are all just thoughts. I’ve been able to experience more calmness in my performance. A major takeaway for me is that it is normal to not feel perfect and comfortable in high-stress situations.”
The Big Ten Champions Fund has helped the Rutgers Sports Psychology Program become a conference leader. “I think we are unique because nowhere else in the Big Ten is there a professor directly involved in direct applied care,” Economou says. “We have bridged academics with athletics.”
Fueling Up
Sports Nutrition provides student-athletes with knowledge and skills to get the most from what they eat.
Donor gifts to the Big Ten Champions Fund support areas such as Rutgers Sports Nutrition, which provides the Scarlet Knights with the proper fuel for success. Sports Nutrition provides first-class nutrition services and lifelong skills beyond the game. Using a science-based, food-first approach, Sports Nutrition enhances student-athletes’ overall health and well-being and elevates their athletic and academic performance.
“A lot of times, sports nutrition gets overlooked because it’s very behind the scenes,” says sports dietitian Rachel Rovner. “People are finally starting to realize what they eat actually does play a significant role in their performance.”
Proper nutrition plays a role in the day-to-day recovery from practice and competition, coming back from an injury, and correcting deficiencies. Because athletes burn so many calories, it is that much more important that they meet their nutrition needs so that they can train and compete at 110% every day. When athletes do not have access to enough food or hydration sources, they are more susceptible to injury and illness, which Rutgers Sports Nutrition proactively tries to prevent.
Rovner and fellow sports dietitian Lauren Duffy and director of sports nutrition Katie Salomone SEBS’16 work with student-athletes to develop recommendations for individual performance, health, and lifestyle goals. This personalized focus helps optimize performance and gives a competitive edge. “Some student-athletes might want to gain weight, some might want to lose. Some might want to maintain and are having a hard time doing that,” says Duffy. “Everything is personalized. Even within the same sport, we can’t make identical recommendations. In football, a quarterback isn’t going to need the same fuel as a lineman or even a wide receiver.”
“The nutrition department provides me with the appropriate foods and drinks to help fuel my body before practice and to recover after,” says sophomore wrestler John Poznanski. “They are always available if you have any questions or concerns about weight management or what vitamins I should be taking daily.” In addition to individualized nutrition plans, R Fund support helps Sports Nutrition design eating strategies for teams when they travel for away games and help student-athletes recover from injuries.
“The funding provided to our department has allowed us to expand our level of care and be able to provide for our student athletes in a competitive nature and for that we are appreciative of our donors” says Rovner.
To learn more about Rutgers Sports Nutrition, follow its accounts on Twitter and Instagram.
That Championship Season
Leadership performance program helped women’s soccer team excel in the Big Ten.
For the women’s soccer team, 2021 was a monumental season. After completing an undefeated season against Big Ten opponents on the way to their first BIG conference championship, the Scarlet Knights made an inspiring run at the College Cup, reaching the semifinals. Donor support for the program helped fuel this run with on- and off-the-field support.
“This team—they are my sisters. It’s family,” says junior defender Allison Lynch of the 2021 season. “And just seeing everyone supporting us and Rutgers Nation coming together was awesome.”
Thanks to donor support, the team participated in the Leadership Performance Program under the direction of leadership and performance coach Cathy Andruzzi. Andruzzi provides individual, executive, and team leadership coaching to senior leaders, coaches, and their teams. She empowers leaders and those they lead to find answers, coaching them through challenges and inspiring them to be confident, accountable, and courageous.
Lynch believes Andruzzi made a difference in the program. “I truly believe that when we started doing these things that Cathy taught us, it was kind of like a culture shift in the program. It really paid off in going to the College Cup. Once you’re mentally strong on the field, you have good leadership, and you’re motivating each other, it makes a big difference. It takes everyone to a new level.”
The soccer team is grateful for the donors who helped provide them with this opportunity. “I don’t think there are words that could ever express how thankful we are. Nothing would be possible without [our donors],” says Lynch.
Knight of Networking
Knight of Networking
Student-athlete event returns from virtual format to in-person engagement with great success.
The support that Scarlet Knight student-athletes receive from R Fund donors goes far beyond a financial impact. The Office of Student-Athlete Development and Success focuses on just that, ensuring that every Scarlet Knight is armed with the tools to pursue and achieve their goals long after their competitive days end.
The Scarlet Knight For Life program is a comprehensive approach to guiding student-athletes through their personal and professional development. The Knight of Networking is a key event that prepares student-athletes, giving them the real-life experience of the interview process and making professional connections.
The Knight of Networking pairs former student-athletes or individuals connected with Rutgers Athletics with current Scarlet Knights to explore potential post-graduate career opportunities. In fall 2021, the event returned to an in-person format after having been held virtually while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This opportunity provides current Rutgers student-athletes the ability to receive guidance towards success after sport,” said Ashley Campo, a member of the women’s lacrosse team and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee E-Board Alumni Engagement and Special Events Sub-Committee Chair. “It is a chance to gain intuition through the network of alumni who share their experience and support student-athlete career development. Knight of Networking is our main event to connect alumni and current student athletes to give them a professional opportunity to engage and connect.”
It was the most attended Knight of Networking to date with 60 professionals on hand to engage with more than 135 student-athletes across 18 sports. In a commitment to providing personalized attention to each student-athlete, individuals were paired with professionals based on their career and industry interests. These areas of focus included finance, health care, human resource management, education, marketing, communications, and sports.
“This year, our goal was to have a 10 percent increase in the number of student-athletes attending the Knight of Networking,” said Campo. “We crushed that goal with a record number of student-athletes and professionals.”
The Office of Student-Athlete Development and Success is pivotal to ensuring each student-athlete has access to the resources necessary to fulfill their goals after graduation. R Fund supporters are critical to this success.
Mentally Prepared
Mentally Prepared
Scarlet Knights get their heads in the game with the help of sports psychology.
Scarlet Knights receive superior training, but that training is not limited to conditioning, strength building, and skill development. Donor support for the Big Ten Champions Fund helps our athletes access mental fitness training through the Rutgers Sports Psychology Program. This resource assists student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and staff in addressing the psychological challenges of competing at the highest levels.
“Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness. It’s critical,” says Peter J. Economou, an associate professor at Rutgers’ Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology and director of behavioral health and wellness for Rutgers Athletics.
Destigmatization of mental health care has normalized the building of these skill sets as part of student-athletes’ growth and development. Economou credits visibility and access as keys to this growth. “Destigmatization occurs by relationship building. And that’s something necessary to build a team. We’re now more visible. We’re in the locker room. We’re at practice and games.”
One student-athlete commented on the benefits of receiving mental fitness training: “It has encouraged me to eliminate all expectations, as they are all just thoughts. I’ve been able to experience more calmness in my performance. A major takeaway for me is that it is normal to not feel perfect and comfortable in high-stress situations.”
The Big Ten Champions Fund has helped the Rutgers Sports Psychology Program become a conference leader. “I think we are unique because nowhere else in the Big Ten is there a professor directly involved in direct applied care,” Economou says. “We have bridged academics with athletics.”
Fueling Up
Fueling Up
Sports Nutrition provides student-athletes with knowledge and skills to get the most from what they eat.
Donor gifts to the Big Ten Champions Fund support areas such as Rutgers Sports Nutrition, which provides the Scarlet Knights with the proper fuel for success. Sports Nutrition provides first-class nutrition services and lifelong skills beyond the game. Using a science-based, food-first approach, Sports Nutrition enhances student-athletes’ overall health and well-being and elevates their athletic and academic performance.
“A lot of times, sports nutrition gets overlooked because it’s very behind the scenes,” says sports dietitian Rachel Rovner. “People are finally starting to realize what they eat actually does play a significant role in their performance.”
Proper nutrition plays a role in the day-to-day recovery from practice and competition, coming back from an injury, and correcting deficiencies. Because athletes burn so many calories, it is that much more important that they meet their nutrition needs so that they can train and compete at 110% every day. When athletes do not have access to enough food or hydration sources, they are more susceptible to injury and illness, which Rutgers Sports Nutrition proactively tries to prevent.
Rovner and fellow sports dietitian Lauren Duffy and director of sports nutrition Katie Salomone SEBS’16 work with student-athletes to develop recommendations for individual performance, health, and lifestyle goals. This personalized focus helps optimize performance and gives a competitive edge. “Some student-athletes might want to gain weight, some might want to lose. Some might want to maintain and are having a hard time doing that,” says Duffy. “Everything is personalized. Even within the same sport, we can’t make identical recommendations. In football, a quarterback isn’t going to need the same fuel as a lineman or even a wide receiver.”
“The nutrition department provides me with the appropriate foods and drinks to help fuel my body before practice and to recover after,” says sophomore wrestler John Poznanski. “They are always available if you have any questions or concerns about weight management or what vitamins I should be taking daily.” In addition to individualized nutrition plans, R Fund support helps Sports Nutrition design eating strategies for teams when they travel for away games and help student-athletes recover from injuries.
“The funding provided to our department has allowed us to expand our level of care and be able to provide for our student athletes in a competitive nature and for that we are appreciative of our donors” says Rovner.
To learn more about Rutgers Sports Nutrition, follow its accounts on Twitter and Instagram.
That Championship Season
That Championship Season
Leadership performance program helped women’s soccer team excel in the Big Ten.
For the women’s soccer team, 2021 was a monumental season. After completing an undefeated season against Big Ten opponents on the way to their first BIG conference championship, the Scarlet Knights made an inspiring run at the College Cup, reaching the semifinals. Donor support for the program helped fuel this run with on- and off-the-field support.
“This team—they are my sisters. It’s family,” says junior defender Allison Lynch of the 2021 season. “And just seeing everyone supporting us and Rutgers Nation coming together was awesome.”
Thanks to donor support, the team participated in the Leadership Performance Program under the direction of leadership and performance coach Cathy Andruzzi. Andruzzi provides individual, executive, and team leadership coaching to senior leaders, coaches, and their teams. She empowers leaders and those they lead to find answers, coaching them through challenges and inspiring them to be confident, accountable, and courageous.
Lynch believes Andruzzi made a difference in the program. “I truly believe that when we started doing these things that Cathy taught us, it was kind of like a culture shift in the program. It really paid off in going to the College Cup. Once you’re mentally strong on the field, you have good leadership, and you’re motivating each other, it makes a big difference. It takes everyone to a new level.”
The soccer team is grateful for the donors who helped provide them with this opportunity. “I don’t think there are words that could ever express how thankful we are. Nothing would be possible without [our donors],” says Lynch.