Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men’s Lacrosse Travels to Face Former BIG EAST Rival St. John’s
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College lacrosse rivalries have a special way of stirring excitement! Especially when familiar opponents meet again in a classic regional showdown. On Tuesday afternoon, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights men’s lacrosse team will head to Queens, New York. They will be there for the final midweek contest of the 2026 season. Waiting on the other sideline will be a familiar foe and former BIG EAST rival, the St. John’s Red Storm.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Enter With Momentum Despite Tough Tests
The matchup is set for 3 p.m. on March 10 at Cox Family Field at Belson Stadium. Fans who have followed this rivalry closely may notice a change in scenery.
No. 19 #RUMLax gets right back in action on Tuesday with a trip to Queens!
— Rutgers Men's LAX (@RUmlax) March 9, 2026
The Scarlet Knights play at St. John's Tuesday at 3 pm
Preview/Game Notes: https://t.co/1uxYaptFZe pic.twitter.com/0rcNKOiYTW
Rutgers’ previous trips to St. John’s, including the most recent visit in 2022, took place at DaSilva Memorial Field. This year’s contest, however, shifts to the Belson Stadium complex. It just adds a new backdrop to a long-running rivalry between two programs that know each other well.
Rutgers arrives in Queens with a solid 5-2 overall record during the early stages of the 2026 campaign. While the Scarlet Knights are coming off a difficult weekend result, their overall body of work continues to show promise.
Last Saturday, Rutgers traveled to face the No. 3 Princeton Tigers in what proved to be a challenging test. Princeton ultimately secured the victory. However, the matchup represented another opportunity for the Scarlet Knights to measure themselves against one of the top teams in the country.
The two losses on Rutgers’ record so far this season have both come against nationally ranked opponents. Earlier in the year, the Scarlet Knights also fell to the No. 12 Army Black Knights. Outside of those two games, Rutgers has been flawless, earning victories over Jacksonville, Stony Brook, Villanova, LIU, and Hofstra. Rutgers currently holds the No. 19 spot in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll.
The Big Ten Conference continues to be one of the toughest leagues in college lacrosse, and Rutgers will soon face a challenging slate of ranked opponents. Upcoming matchups include clashes with the No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes, No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions, No. 10 Maryland Terrapins, and No. 12 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays.
Much of Rutgers’ early-season success has been driven by the explosive play of attacker Colin Kurdyla. The Bridgewater, New Jersey native has emerged as the focal point of the Scarlet Knights’ offense, leading the team with 15 goals and 10 assists for a total of 25 points.
Sophomore Bennett Raphalian has also begun carving out a larger role in the lineup. After earning a start against Princeton, Raphalian responded with a two-goal performance.
Rivalry History Favors the Scarlet Knights
Tuesday’s contest will mark the 33rd all-time meeting between Rutgers and St. John’s, a rivalry that dates back to 1984. Historically, the Scarlet Knights have held the upper hand, owning a commanding 25-7 advantage in the series.
Rutgers has also dominated the recent matchups, carrying a 10-game winning streak against the Red Storm that stretches back to 2014. During the last four meetings in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, the Scarlet Knights have outscored St. John’s by a combined margin of 81-33.
Rutgers has won its last three contests in Queens and holds an 18-5 record in road matchups against the Red Storm. Last season’s meeting showcased Rutgers’ offensive firepower in a 21-11 victory. Colin Kurdyla and Colin Kelly each scored four goals in that contest, while Shane Murphy added a hat trick.
Notably, Murphy’s only two career three-goal performances have both come against St. John’s in the 2023 and 2025 matchups. In Rutgers’ most recent road game against the Red Storm, the Scarlet Knights delivered an even more emphatic performance, earning a 23-6 victory.
St. John’s enters Tuesday’s matchup with a 2-4 overall record. The Red Storm share a common opponent with Rutgers this season, having defeated Hofstra 9-8 in a tightly contested game. They also secured a convincing 20-8 victory over Quinnipiac.
However, St. John’s has struggled for consistency, suffering losses to Delaware, Lafayette, NJIT, and Bryant. Since the Covid-shortened 2020 season, the program has compiled a 13-62 record and was picked sixth in its preseason conference poll entering the 2026 season.
Following Tuesday’s contest, Rutgers will return home to SHI Stadium on Saturday, March 14, to host Bellarmine at noon in its final home nonconference game of the season. The matchup will also serve as the program’s annual LaCROSSE Out Cancer game, blending competitive lacrosse with a meaningful community initiative.
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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.