Rutgers men's soccer prepares for battle against No. 8 Wisconsin on road
"We seem to play our best against top players," said Rutgers men's soccer head coach Jim McElderry after his side drew 1-1 with Michigan on Senior Day on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights (3-5-2, 0-2-1) dominated the Wolverines (5-0-4, 1-0-3), outshooting them 19-9 with six shots on target.
Rutgers was unlucky not to win against Michigan — it would've been the team's first Big Ten victory of the season and first ranked win since 2022.
Now, the Knights will travel to Madison, Wisconsin, for a game against Wisconsin on Friday, putting McElderry's theory to the test. The Badgers (6-2-1, 1-2-1) have been electric to start the season, winning their first five games, one of which was against a ranked opponent.
No. 8 Wisconsin's season so far is a step up from last year, when it only won two conference games and bowed out of the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers didn't necessarily have a bad year, but winning just one road game on the season is never good.
So, what's led to the immense improvement from the Badgers this season? The answer is simple — the addition of Dean Boltz. The freshman from Palatine, Illinois, has made headlines, leading the team and conference with 8 goals and four assists in nine games already.
Turning down offers from Cornell, Notre Dame and Penn State, Boltz is already starting to cement his name in Wisconsin history, scoring more goals as a rookie than 4 of the 5 top scorers in the program’s history.
Boltz has linked up nicely with Trip Fleming, collaborating on 3 goals. Fleming didn't register a point last season but has 5 goals and three assists this season. Those 5 goals are the third-most in the Big Ten.
It's not just Boltz, though, who's instantly made an impact. Freshmen Julian Kuhr and Matthew Zachemski are already starters in the midfield and have made instant contributions. Newcomer Matisse Hébert became the starting goalkeeper this season after last year's starter, Nate Crockford, was signed by Major League Soccer team DC United in January. Hébert has started every game this season, earning four shutouts despite having a low save percentage of 55.
Rutgers will remain on the road after the game against the Badgers, facing off against the Nittany Lions (4-5-1, 1-2-1) on Monday. Penn State has struggled this season after clinching a share of the Big Ten regular season championship and reaching the final of the Big Ten Tournament a season ago.
But the Knights will first have to find success against Wisconsin on Friday. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. and will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
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