Michigan’s 11-player Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) team trained in Ann Arbor for five weeks after the end of the semester. With a roster that only has one senior and two juniors, Michigan has one of the youngest teams in this year’s CRC. Every player will return next school year.
Senior Nathan Feldman and Junior Braden Loughnane earned All Big Ten honors this spring while scoring nine tries apiece. Junior Grant Sasina is the only other upperclassman, and he made the CRC roster after splitting time between Michigan’s first and second sides in the regular season.
Among Michigan’s four sophomores, Tommy Hendricks and Max Rector come in with the most experience. Hendricks spent the spring as a first side backup, but figures to see a bump in playing time at the CRC. Rector started in the first few tournaments of the year, and he is returning after suffering a shoulder injury. Center Conor McNabnay made the team after splitting the spring between first and second side, and Wing Justin Ladd is making his first side debut. McNabnay and Ladd combined for 11 tries for the second side.
Rounding out the roster are four freshmen. Shea Loughnane, Alex Olsen, Jamie Willcox, and Otto Janke all spent the entire spring on the top side. Loughnane is Braden’s younger brother and had a breakout spring, scoring seven tries as the starting scrumhalf. Olsen posted 8.4 minutes per game as the team’s starting hooker, while Willcox and Janke saw 4.7 and 3.3 minutes per game, respectively, coming off the bench.
Follow our Instagram and Twitter for updates throughout the weekend. The CRC website will also maintain scores and bracket progression.
Roster
6. Grant Sasina
Year: Junior
Major: Data Science
Hometown: Richmond, VA
Position: Prop
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200 lbs
7. Jamie Willcox
Year: Freshman
Major: Data Science
Hometown: Cape Town, South Africa
Position: Center / Hooker
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 160 lbs
9. Shea Loughnane
Year: Freshman
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Westwood, MA
Position: Scrumhalf
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 150 lbs
10. Braden Loughnane
Year: Junior
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Westwood, MA
Position: Flyhalf
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175 lbs
11. Maxwell Rector
Year: Sophomore
Major: Architecture
Hometown: San Ramon, CA
Position: Wing / Center
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 170 lbs
13. Justin Ladd
Year: Sophomore
Major: Applied Exercise Science
Hometown: Bellevue, MI
Position: Wing
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 160 lbs
14. Thomas Hendricks
Year: Sophomore
Major: Business
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Position: Hooker / Prop
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175 lbs
15. Alex Olsen
Year: Freshman
Major: Applied Exercise Science
Hometown: Weston, CT
Position: Hooker / Prop
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 170 lbs
17. Nathan Feldman
Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Potomac, MD
Position: Prop
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200 lbs
21. Conor McNabnay
Year: Sophomore
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Westlake, TX
Position: Center
Height: 5’8″
Weight: 160 lbs
25. Otto Janke
Year: Freshman
Major: Mathematics
Hometown: McLean, VA
Position: Scrumhalf
Height: 5’7″
Weight: 160 lbs
Support Staff
Matt Trenary, Head Coach
Christian Mentzer, Assistant Coach
George Janke, Logistics and Social Media
Armen Vartanian, Photography
Conor Egan, Video