As a four-year member of the Rutgers University field hockey team, Haley Meade was used to the underdog role.

No more.

After Sunday’s eye-opening romp of Old Dominion, the Scarlet Knights broke into the national rankings for the first time since 2008.

“This is exciting,” said Meade, a graduate of Freehold Boro High School. “It’s something we all knew was possible, but we didn’t think it would happen this quickly.”

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Rutgers has eight newcomers, but the chemistry clicked right away. It’s an interesting group — five international players mixed in with 13 New Jersey natives.

“Our culture is one of the things we take so much pride in,” said Meade, a senior captain. “Having the internationals has been great. We learn from them and they learn from us. They’ve been playing since they were four years old.”

Field hockey is huge in Europe, and now it’s huge on the banks. The 5-1 verdict over Old Dominion vaulted the 4-0 Scarlet Knights to No. 22 in the Top 25.

“It’s been such an incredible start,” said Emily Howarth, a sophomore starter and a former Bridgewater-Raritan star. “We’ve been working so hard trying to improve, trying to make a name four ourselves.”

Howarth is one of the new arrivals. She began her collegiate career at New Hampshire, then took a year off from the sport while attending Raritan Valley Community College. Now she’s a key part of Rutgers’ defense.

“It was a huge adjustment, but it also gave me a huge appreciation for the sport,” she said of the time off, which was family-related. “I’ve realized how much I missed it and wanted it to be a part of my life.”

She was welcomed in by Meade, whom she’s known since seventh grade, and the other Garden State lifers on the roster.

“A lot of us played against each other in high school,” Meade said. “Now to play with each other, it’s awesome.”

This fall's influx of talent required flexibility by the holdovers, some of whom found themselves filling new roles. Meade, a midfielder who can play forward or defense, has helped set the tone with a whatever-it-takes attitude.

“What I’m doing might not be the most flashy thing on the field, but I’m the person who will have your back,” Meade said. “It’s about knowing your role, knowing your responsibility on the team.”

That team has outscored foes 19-2 heading into Friday’s showdown at 12th-ranked Princeton. Suddenly, Rutgers field hockey is on the map.

“There’s been a great buzz,” Howarth said. “We appreciate all the support we’ve been getting. Now it’s on to our next challenge.”

College Corner appears Mondays in the Gannett New Jersey newspapers. Send tips to Jerry Carino: jcarino@gannettnj.com.