This month’s almuni of the month is the recent grad Drew “Disco” Vecchio. Drew had a great career as a lock for the UMRFC, and he can still be found at games cheering on his former teammates. Read below for a little more on Drew. Congratulations Disco!
When did you play?
I played Lock for the club from Fall 2011 through the Spring of 2015.
What was your favorite memory as a member of the club?
If I had to choose just one memory, I guess what sticks with me most was playing for the Big Ten Championship my Junior year against Indiana. It was a very windy day, and we dominated the first half as we went with the wind. However, the next half when the wind was against us, it was a different story and Indiana got the best of us. It was a very emotional and tough fought match that has stuck with me. Later, the title was stripped from Indiana for playing ineligible players, which included the league MVP, but I really wish we could have beat them right there.
Did you receive any special honors as a member of the club?
I was selected for the All Big Ten Second Team 3 years in a row, and also earn a spot as an Academic All-American. Within the team, I was given the Rookie of the Year award during the awards at formal my freshman year. I also served as Social Chair and Travel Coordinator during my time with the UMRFC.
What are you doing now?
I am currently still at the University of Michigan, as a second year Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering. I do my best to stay involved with the club the best that I can. I hope to be able to stay a part of this club as much as possible while balancing my current research responsibilities.
Any other interesting stories?
There are so many great stories from the club, but I’ll just quickly mention a couple that stick with me. First, I will have to bring up the post-match social with Air Force, with many great memories, including Prop peanut butter wrestling. The playoff game in Pittsburgh with the field covered in 4 inches of freezing mud, and Hugh having us all slide in the mud to get used to the field conditions, even though the field conditions nearly drowned him later in a ruck. All of the tours – Paris, Trinidad, Florida, and Costa Rica – all very great memories. The time Tony and I climbed on the Black House roof and decided to fall asleep there on a cold February night. There are so many other good stories, but I will just mention these for now.
