With each sweltering day, the crisp air of Fall appears ever closer on the horizon. Soon, the leaves will begin changing, college students will begin preparing their Halloweekend costumes and the University of Michigan Men’s Rugby team will take the pitch against a menagerie of college rivals. Already arrived early to campus, the team appears ready to make a historic run in the Fall 2024 season.
Leading the team are four new co-captains, owing in part to the excellent depth in the club’s pool of leadership. Seniors Alex Olsen, Matthew Daines and Shea Loughnane look to make their final marks, while junior Luke Zana plans to hone his skills with the fear of his opponents. All four players were key parts of Michigan’s 15s team last Fall and integral to the club’s historic finish in spring 7s. Michigan returns the entirety of its volunteer coaching staff, including head coach Christian Mentzer, who is entering his second year in the position. Steering the club with a deft mixture of conditioning and skills-training, Mentzer hopes his players will be able to outlast the competition through to the 80th minute.
Although he has taken on a leadership role throughout his time on Michigan rugby, Daines told me that formally being selected as a captain was the highlight of his career.
“Being selected as captain, for me, was the pinnacle of my rugby career,” Daines said. “Coming from never having played before, and just wanting something to do on campus, to leading the team has been eye opening as to what commitment and effort can bring you. I aim to both make my team better rugby players, but also better people.”
Although Michigan lost many key players to the graduation stage, the 2024 recruiting class may be one of the best in years. Sophomores Gage Gretter and Sam Glusker, who joined the club during the 7s season, are looking forward to taking their talents to the 15s game. Incoming players include Massimo Lorenzetti, Noah Alavarez, Parth Gautam, Regan Plank and Kiyan Jacobs, all of whom have made a splash during the pre-season 2-a-days.
For the first time, this year the team welcomes a former player, Connor McNabnay, as the volunteer coach of the team’s second side. Although the side finished last year with zero wins, it returns many promising up-and-coming players. With many new players to add to its roster, McNabnay is hopeful that he can lead the side to a winning developmental season.
This week, the team welcomes its first opponent of the season, Cincinnati, to Ann Arbor. With two wins against the Bearcats in the last two seasons, the Wolverines are confident they can overcome any first-game hiccups. Alongside Cincinnati, Michigan Rugby will play seven matches this season. Home games include Cincinnati (Aug. 23), Trine (Sept. 6), Wisconsin (Sept. 28), and Michigan State (Oct. 25). Away games include Bowling Green (Aug. 30), Notre Dame (Sept. 20), and Ohio State (Oct. 18). For up-to-date information on game times and how to watch, keep an eye on the club’s social media at umichmrugby.
