While national headlines continue to focus on professional sports and marquee television matchups, New Jersey’s college athletics scene is quietly delivering one of its most active and revealing weekends of the winter season. From conference rivalries and championship-level programs to nationally ranked teams chasing postseason momentum, February 1 offers a full slate of meaningful competition across the state, underscoring why New Jersey remains one of the most diverse and competitive college sports markets in the region.
In-State Games Today (Feb 1)
- Men’s Basketball: Rider University is hosting Saint Peter’s at Alumni Gymnasium in Lawrenceville (2:00 PM ET) for a MAAC rivalry game.
- Women’s Basketball: Seton Hall is playing Creighton at the Walsh Gymnasium in South Orange.
- Gymnastics: The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are hosting Penn State at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway (2:00 PM ET).
- Volleyball: New Jersey City University is hosting Nazareth for a men’s volleyball match.
- Princeton Invitational: Princeton is hosting several events today, including Women’s Water Polo against Siena and a Men’s Tennis match against Liberty.
Recent Local News
- Rutgers Wrestling: The #16 Scarlet Knights just defeated Rider (21-12) last night in Lawrenceville, maintaining their hold on the B1G-MAC Trophy.
- Princeton Success: The Women’s Swimming & Diving team officially clinched the 2026 Dual Meet Title today following their “HYP” (Harvard-Yale-Princeton) sweep.
- Rutgers Hoops: The men’s team is currently traveling; they lost a close one to USC (78-75) in Los Angeles last night.
The spotlight within the state comes at an interesting moment for Rutgers men’s basketball, which is navigating a demanding West Coast swing as part of its Big Ten schedule. The Scarlet Knights are in the middle of a critical stretch away from Piscataway, continuing their road trip with a highly anticipated matchup against UCLA on February 3. The trip follows a narrow and hard-fought loss at USC, where Rutgers fell by just three points in a tightly contested game that showcased the team’s ability to compete deep into the final minutes against elite conference opponents.
That cross-country challenge provides important context for what is happening back home today. Across New Jersey, college programs are firmly in the heart of their conference races, with positioning, confidence, and postseason implications already beginning to take shape. It is the kind of weekend that reflects the depth of college competition highlighted throughout Explore New Jersey’s dedicated college sports coverage, where the state’s universities continue to make an impact well beyond local gyms and campuses.
One of the day’s most anticipated in-state matchups comes in Lawrenceville, where Rider University hosts Saint Peter’s in a classic MAAC rivalry showdown at Alumni Gymnasium. The early afternoon men’s basketball game brings two familiar conference opponents together in a setting known for producing tight finishes and emotionally charged crowds. For both programs, games like this carry added weight as they fight to establish momentum and climb the league standings ahead of the MAAC tournament.
In South Orange, women’s basketball takes center stage as Seton Hall welcomes Creighton to Walsh Gymnasium. The matchup places two disciplined, well-coached programs on the same floor in a contest that blends defensive execution with fast-paced transition play. For Seton Hall, home games during the winter schedule remain critical opportunities to secure conference wins and continue building a résumé that reflects consistent competitiveness within one of the nation’s strongest women’s basketball landscapes.
Piscataway becomes the focal point for gymnastics fans as Rutgers hosts Penn State at Jersey Mike’s Arena in a mid-afternoon meet that features two programs known for technical precision and deep rosters. Gymnastics continues to grow as one of Rutgers’ most visible and fan-driven sports, and home meets have become destination events for families, alumni, and students eager to experience a high-energy, performance-driven atmosphere that differs from traditional court sports.
Men’s volleyball also steps into the spotlight as New Jersey City University hosts Nazareth in a match that highlights the rapid expansion and competitive evolution of collegiate men’s volleyball across the Northeast. The NJCU program has steadily built a reputation for disciplined play and developmental growth, and matches like this offer important opportunities for young rosters to sharpen their execution against non-conference opponents.
At Princeton, the campus transforms into a multi-sport hub with a full slate of invitational competition taking place throughout the day. Women’s water polo faces Siena in a matchup that continues Princeton’s push to strengthen its national profile in a rapidly growing sport, while men’s tennis welcomes Liberty in a dual match that emphasizes depth, endurance, and tactical discipline. These events reflect Princeton’s long-standing commitment to Olympic and non-revenue sports, providing competitive platforms for athletes whose seasons often unfold outside the mainstream spotlight.
The weekend also arrives on the heels of several notable achievements that continue to elevate New Jersey’s college athletics narrative. Rutgers wrestling delivered a statement performance Friday night in Lawrenceville, defeating Rider 21–12 to retain the Big Ten–MAAC Trophy. The victory further reinforces Rutgers’ position as one of the nation’s most respected wrestling programs and highlights the team’s consistency across weight classes as it pushes toward postseason competition.
At Princeton, excellence extends well beyond today’s invitational schedule. The women’s swimming and diving team officially clinched the 2026 dual meet title after completing a sweep of Harvard and Yale in the annual HYP series. The accomplishment serves as a powerful reminder of Princeton’s dominance in the Ivy League and its ability to sustain elite performance year after year through both depth and technical development.
Back on the hardwood, Rutgers men’s basketball continues to search for road success as it navigates one of the most demanding travel stretches on its schedule. The narrow loss to USC underscored the team’s resilience and late-game composure, and the upcoming meeting with UCLA presents another opportunity to test itself against a national brand in a challenging environment. For a roster still defining its identity within a grueling Big Ten schedule, the West Coast trip represents a critical learning curve that could shape the remainder of the season.
Taken together, February 1 paints a vivid picture of just how active and influential New Jersey’s college sports ecosystem has become. From conference rivalries in packed gymnasiums and emerging Olympic sports to nationally ranked programs asserting themselves on larger stages, today’s slate reinforces the idea that meaningful college competition is happening across the state every weekend.
As professional sports dominate the national conversation, New Jersey’s campuses continue to quietly deliver some of the region’s most compelling athletic storylines. Whether it is a rivalry game in Lawrenceville, a gymnastics showcase in Piscataway, a championship-caliber swim program in Princeton, or a high-profile road test for Rutgers basketball, college athletics in the Garden State remain deeply woven into the fabric of the winter sports season.
