Rutgers Men’s Lacrosse Opens 2026 Season in Paradise Lacrosse Kickoff
Rutgers men’s lacrosse officially turns the page to the 2026 season with a destination-worthy opener. The Scarlet Knights will begin the year on the road, heading to Naples, Florida, for a neutral-site showdown against Jacksonville University in the Paradise Lacrosse Kickoff. The season opener is set for Saturday at 2 pm, with live coverage available on ESPN+ and Ray Carnicelli and Matt Carey on the call.
Rutgers Season Opener Trends Under Brian Brecht
The Scarlet Knights have won 13 straight season openers and 21 of their past 23 overall. This marks the second straight season Rutgers will play away from home, after starting last year at No. 20 Lehigh. Prior to that, the program had not begun a season on the road since 2017.
Excited to get the 2026 season going this Saturday at the Paradise Lacrosse Kickoff Classic! #RUMLax plays in Naples, Florida on Saturday at 2 pm in the season opener
— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) January 29, 2026
Game Preview / Notes: https://t.co/bjzNruLj7Q pic.twitter.com/JJkKyeDV5M
Under head coach Brian Brecht, Rutgers is 3-0 in season openers away from home, with wins at Lehigh in 2025 and at St. John’s in both 2017 and 2015. Overall, the Scarlet Knights are 13-1 in season openers during Brecht’s tenure. They are riding a streak of 13 consecutive victories and posting a 21-2 mark over their last 23 opening games.
Offensively, five of the team’s top six point producers from last season were playing in either their first or second on-field season of collegiate lacrosse.
The Scarlet Knights graduated only one of their top 12 goal scorers from last season, Dante Kulas, and return their top nine goal scorers. Rising junior Colin Kurdyla led the team with 27 goals and 40 points. Colin Kelly added 16 goals, Colin Zeller scored 13, Shane Murphy finished with 12, and JJ Aiello contributed 11 goals along with 13 assists.
Defense Anchored by Cardin Stoller and Joe Juengerkes
Cardin Stoller emerged as one of the nation’s top goalkeepers last season. He was an All-American, landed on the Top 25 Tewaaraton Award Watch List, and was named ECAC Defensive Player of the Year. Stoller finished sixth nationally in goals-against average at 8.85 and 11th in save percentage at 56.4 percent. He ranked third in the Big Ten in both categories and recorded 182 saves, averaging 11.25 saves per game.
Joe Juengerkes will serve as Rutgers’ sole captain for the second straight season. In his first year with the Scarlet Knights after transferring from Princeton, he posted 16 caused turnovers, 55 ground balls, seven goals, and four assists. Rutgers also returns starter Ben McKelvy at close defense after finishing sixth nationally in scoring defense last season.
Rutgers and Jacksonville have met twice, splitting a home-and-home series in 2010 and 2011. Jacksonville won 17-10 at home in 2010, while Rutgers claimed a 10-6 victory in the return matchup in 2011. The teams also faced each other in a preseason scrimmage in Florida last season.
Following the Paradise Lacrosse Kickoff, Rutgers will return home for a major early test. The Scarlet Knights will host No. 12 Army at 1 pm on Saturday, February 7, marking their first matchup of the season against a ranked opponent in a schedule that features seven teams from the preseason Media Poll.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.