The Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's basketball team is the intercollegiate women's basketball program representing Rutgers University–New Brunswick. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Scarlet Knights play home basketball games at the Jersey Mike's Arena on the university campus in Piscataway, New Jersey.

History The Scarlet Knights (known as the Lady Knights until 1995) began play in 1974, winning their first ever game against Princeton 76–60. In 1976, Theresa Shank Grentz was hired as head coach, becoming the first full-time female basketball coach. The Scarlet Knights won the AIAW National Tournament 83–77 over Texas at the Palestra with the help of Restrepo-Pinero, who scored 30 points while being named MVP. In 2007, C. Vivian Stringer became the first coach to ever lead three teams (including Rutgers) to the Final Four.

Retired Numbers Rutgers Scarlet Knights retired numbers No.PlayerDate of retirementCareer 23 Sue Wicks April 26, 1998 1984–1988 25 Cappie Pondexter December 1, 2016 2002–2006 45 June Olkowski January 2, 1988 1978–1982

All-Time Statistical Leaders

Career leaders Points scored: 2,655 (Sue Wicks – 1984–88) Assists: 839 (Tasha Pointer – 1997-01) Rebounds: 1,357 (Sue Wicks – 1984–88) Steals: 294 (Cappie Pondexter – 2002–06) Blocks: 332 (Rachel Hollivay – 2012–2016)

Single season leaders Points scored: 793 (Sue Wicks- 1987–88) Assists: 257 (Tasha Pointer – 2000–01) Rebounds: 404 (Sue Wicks – 1986–87) Steals: 117 (Liz Hanson – 1993–94) Blocks: 127 (Rachel Hollivay – 2013–14)

Single game leaders Points scored: (44 by Sue Wicks vs George Washington −12/05/1987) Assists: (18 by Tasha Pointer vs Stephen F. Austin – 03/17/2001) Rebounds: (26 by Sandy Tupurins vs William Paterson – 03/01/1977) Steals: (10 by Syessence Davis vs Penn State – 01/10/2015 & 10 by Denise Kenney vs Saint Joseph’s – 02/16/1978) Blocks: (11 by Sue Wicks vs West Virginia – 01/03/1987)

Awards and honors Naismith/U.S. Basketball Writers Association/Women’s Basketball News Service/Street & Smith’s National Player of the Year – Sue Wicks, 1988 winner. Big East Conference Coach of the Year – C. Vivian Stringer, 1998 & 2005. Atlantic-10 Conference Coach of the Year – Theresa Grentz, 1986, 1988 (co), 1993, & 1994.

International Mael Gilles : 2017 Summer Universiade Kahleah Copper 2024 Paris Olympics

Coaching history As of the beginning of the 2024–25 season, the Knights have had five head coaches and two interim coaches. Ellen Johns 1974–1975 6–5 n/a Dottie McCrea 1975–1976 5–9 n/a Theresa Grentz 1976–1995 434–150 156–28 C. Vivian Stringer 1995–2022 477–267 243–136† Carlene Mitchell (interim) 2010 1–0 0–0 Timothy Eatman (interim) 2018 4–2 3-0 Coquese Washington 2022–2026 42-84 11-61 Gary Redus II 2026–present 0-0 0-0 Totals 941–462 404–181 † Denotes combined conference record (202–94 record with the Big East Conference (1979-2013), 12–6 record with the American Athletic Conference, and 19–15 record with the Big Ten Conference)

2026-27 Coaching Staff Gary Redus II Head coach 1st Daphne Mitchell Assistant coach 1st Lauren Hansen Assistant coach 1st Manisha Redus Assistant coach 1st Preston Beverly Assistant coach 1st Matthew Brune General Manager 1st

Roster

Year by year results

Postseason results

NCAA Division I Rutgers has appeared in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament 26 times. They have a record of 36–26. 1986 #2 Second RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #7 Villanova#3 Penn State#4 W. Kentucky W 85–58W 85–72L 74–89 1987 #2 Second RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #7 Duke#3 NC State#1 Texas W 78–64W 75–60L 77–85 1988 #3 Second RoundSweet Sixteen #6 Old Dominion#2 Virginia W 88–78L 75–89 1989 #7 First RoundSecond Round #10 Southern Miss#2 NC State W 95–73L 73–75 1990 #11 First Round #6 Vanderbilt L 75–78 1991 #6 First Round #11 Toledo L 65–83 1992 #8 First RoundSecond Round #9 Southern Miss#1 Tennessee W 93–63L 56–97 1993 #9 First RoundSecond Round #8 Vermont#1 Ohio State W 80–74L 60–91 1994 #5 First Round #12 W. Kentucky L 73–84 1998 #5 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #12 Oregon#4 Iowa State#1 Tennessee W 79–76W 62–61L 60–92 1999 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #14 Dartmouth#6 Arizona#2 Texas Tech#1 Purdue W 84–70W 90–47W 53–42L 62–75 2000 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal Four #15 Holy Cross#10 St. Joseph's#11 UAB#1 Georgia#1 Tennessee W 91–70W 59–39W 60–45W 59–51L 54–64 2001 #4 First RoundSecond Round #13 Stephen F. Austin#5 SW Missouri State W 80–43L 53–60 2003 #4 First RoundSecond Round #13 W. Kentucky#5 Georgia W 64–52L 64–74 2004 #7 First Round #10 Chattanooga L 69–74 2005 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #14 Hartford#6 Temple#2 Ohio State#1 Tennessee W 62–37W 61–54W 64–58L 49–59 2006 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #14 Dartmouth#11 TCU#2 Tennessee W 63–58W 82–48L 69–76 2007 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourTitle Game #13 East Carolina#5 Michigan State#1 Duke#3 Arizona State#3 LSU#1 Tennessee W 77–34W 70–57W 53–52W 64–45W 59–35L 46–59 2008 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #15 Robert Morris#7 Iowa State#6 George Washington#1 Connecticut W 85–42W 69–58W 53–42L 56–66 2009 #7 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #10 VCU#2 Auburn#6 Purdue W 57–51W 80–52L 61–67 2010 #9 First Round #8 Iowa L 63–70 2011 #7 First RoundSecond Round #10 Louisiana Tech#2 Texas A&M W 76–51L 48–70 2012 #6 First Round #11 Gonzaga L 73–86 2015 #8 First RoundSecond Round #9 Seton Hall#1 Connecticut W 79–66L 55–91 2019 #7 First Round #10 Buffalo L 71–82 2021 #6 First Round #11 BYU L 66–69

AIAW Division I The Scarlet Knights made four appearances in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 7–4. 1979 First RoundQuarterfinals TennesseeLong Beach State W 73–66L 51–69 1980 First RoundQuarterfinals Central Missouri StateProvidenceOld Dominion W 87–75W 70–54L 62–84 1981 First RoundQuarterfinals ClemsonLong Beach State W 99–76L 73–77 1982 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsChampionship Game Georgia SouthernMinnesotaVillanovaTexas W 89–79W 83–75W 83–75W 83–77

Notable Players

Scarlet Knights drafted to the WNBA +PlayerDraftSeasonsTeamsErica Wheeler 201313Atlanta Dream, New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, Atlanta Dream, Indiana Fever, Seattle Storm, Los Angeles SparksKahleah Copper 201611Washington Mystics, Chicago Sky, Phoenix MercuryBetnijah Laney-Hamilton201512Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, New York Liberty, Washington MysticsEssence Carson20087New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Washington Mystics, Connecticut SunEpiphanny Prince201014Chicago Sky, New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces, Seattle StormCappie Pondexter200612Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty, Chicago Sky, Los Angeles Sparks, Indiana FeverArella Guirantes20212Los Angeles Sparks, Seattle StormRachel Hollivay20161Atlanta DreamMatee Ajavon20089Houston Comets, Washington Mystics, Atlanta DreamSue Wicks19975New York LibertyTasha Pointer20014Portland Fire, New York LibertyRachel Hollivay20162Atlanta Dream

References

External links