Drew’s men’s rugby team wrapped up their fall season by winning the title of Tri-State champions, beating out five other teams in the Tri-State Conference tournament held on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Bard College.
The conference tournament featured six teams: Drew University, Bard College, SUNY at New Paltz, SUNY at Oneonta, Molloy University and Montclair State University.
For the first match, the Drew Rugby Football Club beat New Paltz 14-5, before posting shutouts in both the second and semi-final matches.
In the second match, Drew Rugby Football Club won against host Bard College 26-0, knocking Bard out of the tournament and advancing to the semi-final in which they defeated Molloy 28-0.
Drew faced off against New Paltz again in the final, toppling the team 22-10 and winning the men’s tri-state conference championship title.
According to Team Captain and Treasurer Rudy Cazenave (’25), “The effort by our players each game and supportive attitude and camaraderie was on full display, picking each other up, substituting effectively when certain players got injured or worn out.”
The dedicated tight-knit team held the trophy high, celebrating their win together even as they were drenched by rain.
It was not an easy road to the championship. Like many other teams, Drew Rugby has experienced challenges with recruitment, especially following the pandemic.
“Most of the D3 level has struggled with a gap in player numbers due to COVID,” Cazenave said. At one point Drew men’s rugby graduated most of its players, and the team was nearly gone.
Between challenges in recruitment, old members graduating and training new players, Drew Rugby has turned its attention in a new direction this season by placing its focus on fundamentals, a decision that has played out remarkably well.
Rugby Team Captain and President Eli Bentz (’24) highlighted the team’s resilience and dedication throughout the challenges this year.
“We overcame our recruitment issues this season,” Bentz said. “The team is basically all new guys who haven’t played rugby before, and yet we won the small colleges championship with the basic foundation of rugby that our coach instilled in us during training.”
Cazenave seconded this, adding “We’ve had to learn rugby from the fundamental level. New players this year dove in head first with their full effort to learn the sport.”
As Betz said, “Rugby is a sport that brings people together, and it’s a sport where you make life-long friendships and have teammates that will never let you down and will always have your back no matter what.”
Between the addition of a new coach, extra emphasis on recruitment and a newly founded Instagram page, the Rugby team has increased its exposure and trained harder than ever. Drew Rugby Football Club will return to the field next season in the spring semester.
For any men looking for a fun close-knit club, Cazenave said, “No experience is needed to join in the fun and traditions of Drew Rugby!”
Shannon Thoma is a senior majoring in English literature and political science.
