UofL rugby team heading to nationals for first time in club history
The Cardinals will compete in the National Collegiate Rugby Championship this weekend in New Orleans
The Cardinals will compete in the National Collegiate Rugby Championship this weekend in New Orleans
The Cardinals will compete in the National Collegiate Rugby Championship this weekend in New Orleans
The University of Louisville rugby team is making history.
The Cards will be competing in the National Collegiate Rugby Championship for the first time this weekend down in New Orleans.
"I don't really think it's set in yet, but it's just kind of a surreal moment," said UofL sophomore fly-half Aaron Stevenson.
The team is hoping to find success at the NCRC, just like it has throughout this season. The Cards were the 2022 MAC Conference 7's champions.
"We're hoping to put on a show and kind of represent the Cardinals well," Stevenson said.
UofL is part of men's premier cup bracket, which features 32 teams. Many of those teams are fully funded varsity programs.
"We get to be put to the test against the best teams in the nation," said UofL sophomore center Morgan Laffoon. "So, we're all looking forward to that, see where we stack up."
What makes the Cards' run so impressive is that it is not one of those teams that are fully funded varsity programs. UofL's rugby team is still considered a club sport.
"You don't have to be a varsity club to be able to compete with them," said UofL sophomore scrum-half Cameron Donlon. "It doesn't matter what level of experience you have, you come out and work hard every day like this group of guys, and you can compete with everybody."
One of the neat things for the players on the team is that people across the UofL campus are recognizing the team's accomplishments.
"Since we made our bid to nationals, people have come up and go, 'Oh,'" Donlon said. "'Are you part of the rugby team?' Yeah, it's been pretty cool. Kind of like a little celebrity on campus."
The Cards have even noticed it on a recent fundraiser, in which the club was raising money for its trip to New Orleans.
UofL's first match-up this weekend will be against Iowa State on Saturday at 2:50 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.