Marlboro High School graduate Brittany Lapidus (10), who was a manager for the Rutgers University women’s basketball team in 2009-10, earned a roster spot on the team in 2010-11. TOM CISZEK/RUTGERS ATHLETICS Every time she suits up for the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, it is a reality check for Brittany Lapidus.
“When I walk out onto the RAC (Rutgers Athletic Center) court, I look up at the Final Four banners, coach (C. Vivian) Stringer’s Hall of Fame banner, and I think, ‘This can’t be real.’ It still hits me when I pull on my jersey. It’s the most amazing feeling.”
Lapidus, a Marlboro High School graduate, is a sophomore guard for one of the country’s most respected women’s basketball programs. But don’t look for a glowing basketball résumé for Lapidus during her high school career.
Lapidus never played high school basketball. Her journey to a roster spot with a top NCAA Division I program is, it’s safe to say, one that no one else has taken. People know of players becoming walk-ons with a college teams, but generally those players had high school experience.
“It’s incredible, really,” Lapidus said of her path to the Rutgers team. It all began in third grade for Lapidus. Her father, Neil, a big Rutgers supporter, arranged for his daughter to be a ballgirl on game nights for the Scarlet Knights’ women’s team. It was the beginning of a love affair with the Rutgers squad.
“I’m a huge Rutgers fan,” the young woman said.
Lapidus was the team’s ballgirl through seventh grade. One of the players who had an impact on Lapidus was Tasha Pointer, who is now an assistant coach at Rutgers.
“I wanted to be Tasha Pointer,” Lapidus recalled. “I would pretend I was her and go outside and dribble like her.”
Lapidus said Pointer was moved by her story and pleased to learn she had a positive impact on a young person’s life.
Lapidus played basketball and softball through middle school, but decided to stick with softball when she got to Marlboro High School.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” she said. “I decided to play softball and focused on that.”
Lapidus played recreation basketball through high school and kept her evenings open during the winter so she could attend the Rutgers home games in Piscataway.
When it came time for her to think about college, there really wasn’t much to think about: it was Rutgers all the way.
“It was an easy choice,” Lapidus said.
She wanted to be more than a student, however.
“I knew I wanted to be involved with the team,” she said. “I went to coach (Michelle) Edwards, the director of basketball operations, and told her I was a big fan and I wanted to help the team any way I could.”
Lapidus became the Scarlet Knights’ student manager last year. Her duties included videotaping games and making video clips for each player, providing the players with towels and water during games, and attending all practices. One of the bonuses was traveling with the team, where one of her jobs was ordering food for the players.
“You become part of the team,” she said.
Another perk was getting to take part in team shoot-arounds and it was there that Stringer began to take notice of her.
Edwards eventually told Lapidus that Stringer had seen something in her and that with Rutgers’ roster being short of players for the 2010-11 season, Stringer thought there might be an opening for the 5-7 guard.
“I didn’t take her (Edwards) seriously,” said Lapidus, who added that she did play some summer pickup ball, but never really thought about playing for the Scarlet Knights this season.
During the preseason, Lapidus received a text message from Edwards which said, “Coach Stringer wants to meet with you.”
“She told me ‘We’re going to put you on the team,’ ” Lapidus recalled. “It was an overwhelming sensation. I had no clear thoughts at the time. I was excited more than you can imagine.”
Lapidus was now a certified member of the Scarlet Knights and immediately went to work on a training program and arranging her classes around practice and games. She is a double major at Rutgers, studying sports management and communications.
Lapidus said she is more nervous about leaving the locker room for the Scarlet Knights’ pre-game warm-ups than she is when her number is called to play.
“I’m not nervous when I get into a game,” she said. “I feel prepared. We go very hard in practice.”
It is when she is putting on her uniform that she has to pinch herself and remind herself this is real.
The Marlboro graduate has had the opportunity to be on women’s basketball’s biggest stages. The Scarlet Knights played against Tennessee in Knoxville (“It was incredible, you get a sense of history,” she said), and last year they were at Storrs, Conn., to play UConn (“very intimidating,” is how Lapidus put it).
This season Rutgers is 16-11 and battling to earn an NCAA tournament bid. The Big East Conference Tournament is scheduled for March 4-7 in Hartford, Conn., and a strong showing there will probably seal a tournament bid for the Scarlet Knights. It would be an added bonus for Lapidus if she was a member of an NCAA tournament team.
Next year the Scarlet Knights have a big recruiting class that includes a pair of Shore Conference stars from Neptune High School, Syessence Davis and Shakena Richardson, coming in. That may not leave room for someone like Lapidus, but now that she has become a part of the team she is going to fight hard to stay there. She will not give up her No. 10 uniform easily.
“I’m motivated to prove myself,” she said.
Lapidus will worry about next season when it arrives.
“Next year is up in the air,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy every minute of this season.”