Five famous athletes who made their mark at Rutgers
Rutgers has a history of elite athletics. Not only is the University the birthplace of college football, but it is also the home of national championship teams and stellar individual athletes. With hundreds of alumni going on to professional sports careers, here are some of my personal favorite Scarlet Knights alumni:
Todd Frazier - Baseball
Frazier finished his time at Rutgers as the all-time leader in home runs (42) and runs scored (210). Frazier was a two-time First Time All-Big East honoree and earned the Big East Player of the year in 2007. Frazier was drafted 34th overall in the 2007 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds. With 218 career home runs and 1,059 hits spanning over 11 seasons in the major leagues, Frazier has played for six major league teams, including both New York teams, and in 2015, he won the Home Run Derby.
Carli Lloyd - Women’s Soccer
Lloyd played four seasons on the Banks and left as the No. 1 all-time leader in points (117) and goals (50). The two-time NSCAA All-American and four-time NSCAA All-Region student-athlete led the Knights to the Sweet Sixteen in 2001. Lloyd was inducted into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. After Rutgers, Lloyd went on to play for the women’s national team, where she is now the all-time leading scorer midfielder. Lloyd scored the game-winning goal for team USA at the 2008 Olympics. The World Cup winner was also awarded back-to-back FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year awards in 2015 and 2016.
Devin McCourty - Football
Devin McCourty started all 13 games at cornerback for the Knights his senior season and was named to the All-Big East First Team. He ended his collegiate career with 149 tackles and six interceptions. Devin McCourty was a first-round draft pick in 2010 and has played all 11 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots. The Super Bowl Champion has played 171 games and recorded 840 total tackles. Along with his twin brother Jason McCourty, Devin was named a 2020 defensive captain for the Patriots.
Jason McCourty - Football
Jason McCourty ended his Rutgers career with 148 tackles and finished second in the Big East in kickoff returns in his senior season. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in information technology before being drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans in 2009. Jason McCourty has played 12 seasons in the NFL. Both Jason McCourty and his twin brother are members of the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame, and together, they delivered the 2019 commencement speech.
Arella Guirantes - Women’s Basketball
In her time with the Knights, Guirantes played in 80 games and averaged 17.2 points a game in her three seasons on the Banks. With more than 1,300 points under her belt in her Rutgers career, Guirantes was named the Big Ten scoring champion and ranked No. 9 nationally in the 2019-2020 season with 20.6 points per game. Guirantes was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2021 WNBA Draft. The 22nd overall pick, she is the 21st player in Knights history to go on to play in the WNBA.
Rutgers athletics has a history of greatness — something that isn't stopping any time soon. Every time you watch your fellow Knights at a sporting event, you could be watching future major league stars, gold medalists or even some current national champions. Follow @TargumSports on Twitter and keep up with The Daily Targum’s sports page to ensure that you'll never miss a beat when it comes to Rutgers athletics.
