At 36 years old, Devin and Jason McCourty have accomplished so much on and off the field that it’s easy to assume they’d already be in the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame.
This award ceremony will take place next month.
The twins, who helped put Rutgers football on the map as defensive cornerstones of Greg Schiano’s first tenure on the bench from 2005-09, then went on to long NFL careers, helping the New England Patriots win Super Bowls while pursuing a number of philanthropic endeavors, are the headliners of the Scarlet Knights’ Hall of Fame class of 2024. The enthronement will take place on Thursday, Sept. 26 at the East Brunswick Hilton, and the inductees will be honored on Friday, Sept. 27 when Rutgers football hosts Washington at SHI Stadium.
LISTEN TO JASON: Listen to Jason McCourty in our latest podcast episode “All In with Art Stapleton” on the NY Giants
The class also includes an NCAA champion, two multi-sport pioneers and a long-overlooked trailblazer whose incredible story is likely unknown to most Rutgers fans.
Here is the 2024 vintage:
Devin McCourty (soccer)
After redshirting as a freshman, the New York native was part of four Rutgers Bowl teams as a standout secondary player. In 52 games, he recorded 238 total tackles, defended 33 passes (27 breakups, six interceptions) and blocked seven kicks.
McCourty capped his college career with honorable mention All-America and first-team All-Big East captaincy in 2009. He was the first Scarlet Knight in history to win the Homer Hazel Award (team MVP), was named team MVP in two units (defense and special teams) that same season, received the Scholar-Athlete Award, and achieved semifinalist status for the Draddy Trophy, known as the “Academic Heisman.”
McCourty was selected in the first round by the New England Patriots in 2010, where he spent his entire 13-year career and won three Super Bowls. In addition to being named All-Pro three times, he was also a four-time nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which annually recognizes an NFL player for outstanding off-field charitable activities.
Jason McCourty (football)
The New York native was a four-year honoree from 2005-2008, appearing in four bowl games and earning three bowl victories during his college career. The defensive back totaled 150 tackles, 20 pass breakups, two interceptions and three fumble recoveries in 47 games.
He was selected in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and played 173 professional games in 13 seasons, winning Super Bowl LIII with the Patriots.
Off the field, he was nominated in 2014 and 2015 for the Byron “Whizzer” White Award, the highest honor the NFL Players Association can bestow on a player. The award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty to serve the community in their teams’ cities and hometowns.
Hallie Cohen (softball, field hockey)
The Wayne Valley High School graduate competed in three sports for Rutgers: field hockey, softball and women’s basketball. She was the Scarlet Knights’ first field hockey scholarship athlete, led the softball team to the AIAW World Series and was a walk-on in basketball.
As a softball pitcher, Cohen still holds the program record for most shutouts in a season (11), set when Rutgers reached the AIAW World Series in 1979. She won 24 consecutive games, reaching a career record of 39-3 in the circle.
Following her career at Rutgers, Cohen spent 49 years as a softball coach. She retired in 2019, ranking 10th all-time in Division III coaching wins in softball (885-503-5) and was inducted into the FDU-Florham Hall of Fame as a three-sport coach.
Maria Grant (lacrosse, field hockey)
Grant won four years of collegiate honors in both field hockey (1981–1984) and women’s lacrosse (1982–1986) and was the first lacrosse player at Rutgers University to be named to the All-American team.
As a lacrosse goalie in 1986, Grant led the nation with a .689 save percentage, making 255 saves in 16 games—a school record at the time. In field hockey, she played for the U.S. women’s national team.
After her playing days, Grant became a coach, serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Rutgers women’s lacrosse and field hockey teams before moving on to coaching at the high school and club levels. She is the head coach of the Ramapo High School girls’ lacrosse team.
Ralph Tedeschi (fencing)
The Somerville native was part of a three-man team that helped Rutgers University men’s fencing become co-national champions in 1949 by winning the NCAA title in foil.
On his way to the national foil title, he won 24 of his 27 fights in 1949.
In 1992, he was belatedly named All-American First Team by the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association for his first-place finish in foil in 1949.
John “Pomp” Chandler (lightweight football)
Born in Virginia and raised in Fanwood, Chandler led Rutgers’ lightweight football team (maximum weight 150 pounds) to three undefeated seasons from 1933 to 1935. He was widely considered the best lightweight player in the country.
Chandler was also a member of Rutgers’ track, basketball and baseball teams, but was unable to participate in arguably his favorite sport – tennis – because of his skin color. Chandler, who was African-American, was unable to represent Rutgers in tennis because the country clubs where matches were played were racially off-limits. Despite this, according to the Rutgers athletic department, he helped white students improve their skills by playing friendly matches at the varsity team’s tennis practice. College friends said Chandler never lost a set to the varsity players.
After his time at Rutgers University, he played tennis all over the world and won numerous tournaments, but was never allowed to compete for the highest national honors. His success and difficulties on the tennis court were widely regarded as paving the way for later groundbreaking tennis stars Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe.
Jerry Carino has covered New Jersey sports since 1996 and college basketball since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at [email protected].
