STU's Rugby Team in the Spotlight

​Another year of Rugby, another year of winning for the bobcats! Fall of 24’s brought some monumental changes. Starting out with a huge win over the University of Utah D1A side! With the scoreline being 67-10, over the nationally ranked program, it is safe to say that the boys have made their mark on the national rugby scene! 

The boys have come back and proved themselves to be able to compete at the highest level of collegiate rugby in the nation once again. This comes off the back of an undefeated D1AA season (comparable to division 2 in NCAA sports). Winning D1AA in Florida and gaining another championship under their belt required going through commendable challenges like the University of Florida, Florida State University, and University of Central Florida, all competing for a chip.

From winning the Florida D2 state championship in its first year, to winning Florida D1AA in its second, the boys are itching for more medals. It seems the itching is finally being put to rest as STU Rugby is being permanently moved to D1A next fall season! They have earned themselves a spot in D1A by beating top tier programs like the Airforce Academy (18) and Utah Rugby (19) who both ended off in the top 20 at the end of the 2024, D1A, season.

Championships do not come easy in the D1A league, and the bobcats will have to adjust to a grueling fall schedule that plays teams with more physicality and rugby prowess than ever before. The reminder came as they played the number one team in the nation, Life University, and had a tough loss 83-0. Head Coach Gavin Mcleavy and his team of coaches will face new challenges in this big change which will depend on the depth of the team. His recruitment and vision for the development of talent is going to be put to the test, and so far, so good!
 
With another largely successful spring season, Coach Gavin Mcleavy looks to pick up another D1AA state championship in April of 2025, while also competing for 15s and 7s national titles immediately after. STU Rugby looks to pick up 3 trophies in one semester, now that is striving for excellence!