For their part in a hard-fought 15s and historic 7s season, six University of Michigan Men’s Rugby players were recognized by the Big Ten conference alongside head coach Christian Mentzer, who was awarded Coach of the Year.
The six players comprise a mix of now-graduated alumni and players set to return for the Fall 2024 15s season. Team captain Matthew Daines, who was recently our April player of the month, was recognized as the number-5 lock on the All-Big Ten’s first team. Former players Armen Vartanian, Joe Ounsley, Tommy Hendricks and Max Rector were given honorable mentions alongside team captain Luke Zana.
All six players were instrumental throughout the 2023-2024 rugby seasons. Ounsely, hailing from England, gave the team the go-ahead try in a historic comeback against Notre Dame in the Fall and Hendricks’ leadership led the team to their first finals appearance in the Big Ten 7s tournament. Daines and Zana look to continue their example in the 2024-2025 seasons.
None of the players would have made the impact they did without the efforts of coach Christian Mentzer. A University of Michigan Men’s Rugby alumni, Mentzer was part of a historic 2014 team which ended pool play undefeated at the Collegiate Rugby Championship — beating out teams such as Navy, Ohio State, and Texas. As an assistant strength and second side coach, Mentzer has brought that same standard to the team for years. In his first season as head coach, he led the team through a historic 7s run with a historic final eight finish for Michigan. Outside of his time coaching, Mentzer plays rugby with the Detroit Tradesmen club.
The mentality of the players and coach recognized can be best described by the words of Gandhi that Mentzer recounted in his interview for 2013 July Player of the Month.
“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
Congratulations to our players and head coach Christian Mentzer!
