Top spots on campus to watch Rutgers sports

While Rutgers provides students with a world class education, much of the college experience takes place outside of the classroom. For sports fans, this is a great time to be joining us on the Banks. The football team just tied its program record for Big Ten wins in a season, the basketball team made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years (and won a game too!) and many other programs continue to make strides toward national success. 

Here are some of the best places on campus to watch sporting events, so that you will know where to be when the Scarlet Knights are in action:

The Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC)

This list starts with the obvious, but there truly is no atmosphere that compares to the RAC, located on Livingston campus just behind the Rutgers Business School. The 8,000-seat basketball arena is known for its shape, affectionately nicknamed the “Trapezoid of Terror.” The energy that comes from being behind the basket in the student section is incredible, and opposing teams are in for a long night when they come to Piscataway. 

Wrestling also packs the arena, with head coach Scott Goodale leading a nationally ranked program in the best wrestling conference in the nation. The RAC also hosts gymnastics, where Rutgers defeated rivals Penn State on Senior Day in March. A friendly piece of advice: Make sure to be in line an hour before the game if you want the best seats in the first few rows, as students have proven they are excited for their Knights. 

SHI Stadium

Another place that might be obvious to some, SHI Stadium is the home of Rutgers football, a 52,000-seat venue located on Busch campus in Piscataway. While many current students will recall almost empty stadiums hosting terrible football inside, this season will be a sharp change of atmosphere and energy. 

Head football coach Greg Schiano will be entering his second season in his second tenure on the Banks, and he brings an air of confidence and hope that hasn’t been seen since he left the program in 2011. His first home game in front of fans is almost guaranteed to be a sellout, and if success comes early this season, expect lots of fans at every game throughout the year. 

SHI Stadium also hosts the Rutgers men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, with both programs coming off a season that included a win in the NCAA Tournament.   

The Yard @ College Avenue

Shifting away from sporting venues, the Yard is a great place to get together with other fans and experience Rutgers sports. Located on the College Avenue campus across the street from Scott Hall, the Yard is well known for its large screen that plays all the major sporting events, both college and professional. 

In addition to the big screen, the Yard has multiple great food options to choose from (who doesn’t want a Fat Sandwich from RU Hungry while watching Rutgers sports?) and lots of tables and chairs for comfortable seating. A lot of fans make the Yard their main spot to watch sports, so it’s a great place to react and hopefully celebrate with other Knights. 

Your residence hall!

While many students want to get out of their room and support the Knights in person, sometimes school and life get in the way of that pursuit. Homework, studying and other aspects of college living make it so that not every student is available when game time comes around. 

One of the advantages of living in a residence is the easy ability to socialize and make friends. Viewing parties can easily be created in your room or in the common area that most residence halls at Rutgers have on each floor. It’s fun, easy and provides a more laid-back atmosphere than being at the game, giving students a chance to catch up on their work while still cheering on the Knights. 

Rutgers is going into an exciting period when it comes to athletics. Many programs are nationally ranked, and the athletes being recruited are better than ever before. With the comeback to a full sports schedule this fall, students coming onto campus for the first time have a unique opportunity to see the Knights perform at a high level. Rutgers sports will be must-see events, and students can look forward to cheering on their classmates in-person.