updated 11:09 p.m. ET Feb. 27, 2008

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - C. Vivian Stringer stood at center court and received a rose from each one of her players after joining college basketball’s most exclusive club.

The Hall of Famer soaked in the moment shortly after win No. 800 put her in the company of Pat Summitt and Jody Conradt with No. 4 Rutgers’ 60-46 victory over DePaul on Wednesday night.

“Nobody is more respected than Pat, Jody.” said Stringer, who had one of the nets from the game at her side. “To say my name in the same breath is humbling. I am proud of it, but its not something that I thought a lot about. I remember the 700th win because we beat my good friend Jody and Texas here.”

While Summitt and Conradt won almost all their games with one team, Stringer has succeeded at three different schools.

“I’m the only one who has gone from Cheyney to Iowa to Rutgers. I wonder why I just couldn’t find a home,” said Stringer with a laugh.

Knowing it was a special night, DePaul coach Doug Bruno had his entire team shake Stringer’s hand during warmups. Bruno also coached DePaul when Summitt beat the Blue Demons for her 800th.

“Eight hundred isn’t just about a number,” Bruno said. “It’s about the players from Cheyney, Iowa, Rutgers and how special they were.”

Essence Carson scored 20 points and Epiphanny Prince added 15 to lead Rutgers (23-4, 13-1 Big East), which moved into a tie with UConn atop the conference. The Huskies visit DePaul on Saturday and the Scarlet Knights host Syracuse before a showdown Monday night with the Huskies in Hartford.

Everyone in the crowd was given signs marking the 800th victory, but the Scarlet Knights couldn’t start celebrating until the final minute. With 30 seconds left, fans gave the Hall of Fame coach a standing ovation and chanted her initials. When the clock reached zero, Carson threw her coach the game ball.

“It was her ball, she deserved it,” Carson said. “It’s great to be part of a milestone for a Hall of Fame coach.”

Carson, Matee Ajavon and Katie Adams were freshmen when Stringer won her 700th game. Ajavon was honored before the game for becoming only the second Rutgers player to reach 1,000 points and 500 assists, joining assistant coach Tasha Pointer.

“Honestly I don’t remember it at all,” Carson said. “But back then 100 wins seemed so far away.”

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