BRONX, NY – Following today’s huge victory over Iowa State in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano declared, ” Eric! Eric, this one’s for you!” referring to the University football player from Avenel, NJ paralyzed last October, Eric LeGrand.
Just one day earlier, the Men’s Basketball team scored a huge win of their own, defeating the Florida Gators, ranked tenth in the nation, in double overtime at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway.
And then today, the Scarlet Knights defeated the Iowa State Cyclones 27-13 at Yankeee Stadium in the Bronx, NY, in front of a crowd of 38.203 people. Â Both schools sold thier allotment of tickets, according to Bloomberg.com.
2011 was a year of change for the Scarlet Knights Athletics program, as new Athletic Director and former TV executive Tim Pernetti took over for Robert Mulcahy, his politically-connected predacessor who left amidst an investigation into the department.
After failing to make the postseason in 2010 for the first time in five years, the Scarlet Knights had one of their best seasons ever this season, falling just short of the Big East crown and ending the year on a high note.
LeGrand appeared on the front-page of the December 26 issue of Sports Illustrated after his remarkable comeback from a spinal injury sufferred in a game against Army last year in East Rutherford, NJ. Â His inspirational recovery was voted the top sports story of the year by the magazine’s readers.
Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.
