RU Athletics 25-26

Zebnatto1!

Sophomore
Sep 6, 2025
172
161
42
Is it me--a grumpy old man on a rainy Saturday, or has this been a truly bad, bad year for Rutgers Athletics across the board. YES or NO?

Personally I'd consider every sport I follow or have the energy to look, but I'd also weigh the higher profile sports differently from the lower--how much or not at all up to you.
 

matei

Redshirt
Feb 16, 2026
6
16
2
It wasn’t so much the absolute performance itself as much as the performance relative to expectations. Performance in key moments certainly stung as well (eg RU football losing in miraculous fashion against Illinois); Rutgers wasting generational basketball talent with a pair of top 5 picks. Fans, after many decades of hope finally thought the time had come. And then it didn’t.
 
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bac2therac

Hall of Famer
Jul 30, 2001
248,419
178,023
113
yes did you see the standings in the governors cup...not pretty, some will rush in and say dont talk about it
 
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Leonard23

Heisman
Feb 2, 2006
30,130
12,347
113
It's been rough. For Fall 2025 sports, we were the only B1G school not ranked in the top 154 of the Director's Cup standings. For winter 2025-26, we were 107. Spring 2026 will come out 6/9, and maybe we get some points from T&F and women's rowing, but not sure if anything else. Our standings since 1993-94:

2025-26
2024-25 #80
2023-24 #66
2022-23 #130
2021-22 #48
2020-21 #60

2019-20 N/A
2018-19 #82
2017-18 #107
2016-17 #116
2015-16 #83
2014-15 #104
2013-14 #91
2012-13 #120
2011-12 #111
2010-11 #158
2009-10 #96
2008-09 #92
2007-08 #126
2006-07 #54
2005-06 #76
2004-05 #66
2003-04 #63

2002-03 #80
2001-02 #71
2000-01 #96
1999-00 #75
1998-99 #95
1997-98 #75
1996-97 #70
1995-96 #131
1994-95 #123
1993-94 #94
 

RUBlackout

All-American
Mar 11, 2008
10,929
7,016
113
It's been rough. For Fall 2025 sports, we were the only B1G school not ranked in the top 154 of the Director's Cup standings. For winter 2025-26, we were 107. Spring 2026 will come out 6/9, and maybe we get some points from T&F and women's rowing, but not sure if anything else. Our standings since 1993-94:

2025-26
2024-25 #80
2023-24 #66
2022-23 #130
2021-22 #48
2020-21 #60

2019-20 N/A
2018-19 #82
2017-18 #107
2016-17 #116
2015-16 #83
2014-15 #104
2013-14 #91
2012-13 #120
2011-12 #111
2010-11 #158
2009-10 #96
2008-09 #92
2007-08 #126
2006-07 #54
2005-06 #76
2004-05 #66
2003-04 #63

2002-03 #80
2001-02 #71
2000-01 #96
1999-00 #75
1998-99 #95
1997-98 #75
1996-97 #70
1995-96 #131
1994-95 #123
1993-94 #94
Not sure how the “scores” work here but looks clear that years when either basketball or football were decent we had higher rankings
 

Fat Koko

All-Conference
Nov 28, 2022
3,721
3,117
73
That will be well earned $. We've only done it 3 times in the last 33 years: #48 in 2021-22, #60 in 2020-21, & #54 in 2006-07.

I was happy to see Keli has an incentive to win across sports. Finishing top 60 is a stretch goal but an achievable target that should be expected for every B1G athletic department.

Keli also earns a bonus based on Rutgers athletes' academic progress rate (APR). This is a lower bar the Directors' Cup top 60. Rutgers has been achieving in the 970s for several years. What is strange about Keli's contract is the contract's plain language states Keli receives zero bonus for scores in the 970s.

How this lousy contract drafting got past Keli, Tate, every member of the Board of Governors - all of whom approved the contract - is another signal the university's leaders are not doing their jobs well.

Contract language:
1777228966419.png
 
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Leonard23

Heisman
Feb 2, 2006
30,130
12,347
113
I was happy to see Keli has an incentive to win across sports. Finishing top 60 is a stretch goal but an achievable target that should be expected for every B1G athletic department.

Keli also earns a bonus based on Rutgers athletes' academic progress rate (APR). This is a lower bar the Directors' Cup top 60. Rutgers has been achieving in the 970s for several years. What is strange about Keli's contract is the contract's plain language states Keli receives zero bonus for scores in the 970s.

How this lousy contract drafting got past Keli, Tate, every member of the Board of Governors - all of whom approved the contract - is another signal the university's leaders are not doing their jobs well.

Contract language:
View attachment 1272228
🤦‍♂️
 

Leonard23

Heisman
Feb 2, 2006
30,130
12,347
113
21-22 was a result of men's lacrosse making the Final Four on Memorial Day Weekend.
It was much more than that, as field hockey and women's soccer also earned a good amount of points and many sports did, even football and MBB.
 
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