Wake Ruggers Help North Carolina to Two Victories at Carolina Collegiate Challenge

The North Carolina Rugby Union Men's Collegiate All-Star program went 2-0 on Sunday against the Palmetto Rugby Union Men's Collegiate All-Stars at John Roberts Field at Furman University. Seven Wake Forest players represented the NCRU with Wake sophomore Sal Scifo captaining the NCRU Emerging side from openside flanker to a 16-15 thriller over Palmetto's Emerging side. Scifo was a late addition to the team when Wake freshman Ryan Tacon had to withdraw with illness. Scifo was joined on the Emerging side by teammates Todd McFadden, Ty Pierce, Matt McCurdy and Tim Zage. McCurdy and Zage, typically flankers, played all 80 minutes in the midfield for the Emerging side and performed admirably.

In the Elite game, Wake Forest was represented by freshman flanker Liam McIntyre and junior wing Brandon Turner. The Elite side ran out 46-19 winners over Palmetto Elite in a game that was never really close. One of the game's highlights came early in the second half when McIntyre made a break from inside the NCRU 22, drew two defenders on the sideline and off-loaded neatly to supporting flyhalf Graham Joseph (UNC-W) for a beautifully worked try. Pierce came on as a reserve in the Elite game.

In all it was a very successful weekend for all the NCRU players who attended the camp. The coaching throughout the weekend was fantastic, with the NCRU's Jeremy Linne and Josh Sutcliffe and Palmetto's Nigel Platt and Geoff Mason lending their expertise to all the players. A special thanks is necessary for John Roberts of Furman and Nigel Platt of Palmetto for organizing the weekend. The Wake Forest participants all returned to Winston-Salem as much better players for the experience and Turner and Pierce will look to carry their newly-refined skills into their match with the South U-20 program on November 28 in Atlanta against the New South Wales U-20s. The rest of the Wake players return to their off-season workouts in preparation for the challenging ACRL season that awaits them in the spring.

Pierce and Turner Named to South U-20 Side for International Match

Ty Pierce in action against UNC in Spring 2010

Wake Forest players Ty Pierce and Brandon Turner have been selected to play for a South U-20 College Select Side that will play the New South Wales U-20 side on November 28 on the campus of Kennesaw State University outside of Atlanta, GA. The New South Wales team is tourning the Southeastern United States for 2 weeks and is playing a number of matches. Pierce and Turner are joined by fellow North Carolina players Graham Joseph from UNC-Wilmington and Drew Zabor from Appalachian State. The full roster for the South U-20 side is below:

Jarrod Neser, Georgia Southern
Michael Sapp, Alabama
Jed Hannaford, Ole Miss
Devin Vaughter, Mid. Tenn. St.
Ty Pierce, Wake Forest
Graham Joseph, UNC-W
Edward Mienie, Kennesaw St.
James Morrow, Kennesaw St.
Brandon Turner, Wake Forest
Michael Moore, Mid. Tenn. St.
Cian Coakley, Georgia Tech
Will Farrell, Georgia
Dan Sammons, Florida St.
Nick Evans, Tennessee
Sammy Anderson, Tennessee
Drew Zabor, Appalachain St.
Dillon Sauerwein, Arkansas St.
Zack Mobius, Tennessee
Charlie Hutchings, Tampa
Martin Van der Westhuiz, Arkansas St.
Brendon Aitken, Arkansas St.
Jon Cali, Greenville

Final NCRU College All-Star Selections Named

Former U-20 Eagle Matt Hughston Leads a Talented Group of NCRU College Players to Furman this Weekend

The North Carolina Rugby Union's College All-Star program has finalized the 34 man roster that will attend the Carolinas Challenge this weekend at Furman University in Greenville, SC. The weekend will consist of joint and individual training sessions with the NCRU and Palmetto Rugby Union Squads, a Saturday night banquet, and games on Sunday between the NCRU and Palmetto Emerging sides and the NCRU and Palmetto Elite sides. Notably missing from the NCRU selections are any players from University of North Carolina and Appalachian State University. A total of 14 players from those teams were invited to participate and all declined the opportunity. The NCRU team is led by Head Coach Jeremy Linne (UNC-G), Forwards Coach Josh Sutcliffe (UNC-G) and Backs Coach Mike Groeneweld (UNC).


NCRU 2010 College All-Stars


Mark Addison, Prop, NCSU
Mark Williams, Prop, UNCW
Ty Pierce, Prop, WFU
Corey Valentine, Prop, ECU
Shane Kelly, Prop, UNCG
Stephen Bahner, Hooker, NCSU
Jared Walklet, Hooker, UNCW
Matt McCurdy, Lock, WFU
Kurt Kochanski, Lock, UNCW
Eddie Youngs, Lock, NCSU
Pat LaPaglia, Lock, ECU
Kyle Waters, Lock, UNCW
Tim Zage, Flanker, WFU
Liam McIntyre, Flanker, WFU
Omar Rutti, Flanker, ECU
Matt Pace, Flanker, NCSU
Steven Sredzienski, Flanker, UNCW
Colin Fadero, #8, ECU
Andrew Birch, #8, NCSU
Crawford Miller, Scrumhalf, UNCG
Max Coar, Scrumhalf, Duke
Shane McBride, Scrumhalf, ECU
Will Teague, Flyhalf, NCSU
Graham Joseph, Flyhalf, UNCW
Matt Hughston, Center, ECU
Ryan Tacon, Center, WFU
Justin Bourgeois, Center, ECU
Brad Welch, Center, Duke
Brandon Turner, Wing, WFU
Matt Aronowitz, Wing, UNCG
Todd McFadden, Wing, WFU
Tom Luciano, Wing, Duke
Uki Dean, Fullback, Duke
Eric Vozzo, Fullback, ECU

Wake Forest Players Selected for North Carolina Rugby Union All-Star Program

Ryan Tacon, one of four Wake freshmen selected for the

NCRU All-Star program, breaks away for a try against USC earlier in the season

Seven Wake Forest players have been selected to attend the joint North Carolina Rugby Union and Palmetto Rugby Union College All-Star camp next weekend at Furman University in Greenville, SC. Junior Brandon Turner, sophomores Ty Pierce and Todd McFadden, and freshmen Liam McIntyre, Ryan Tacon, Matt McCurdy, and Tim Zage were all invited to attend the weekend long camp, which will consist of consist of fitness testing, joint training sessions with the Palmetto Rugby Union All-Stars, and NCRU team specific training on Saturday, followed by games on Sunday between the NCRU Emerging All-Stars and the Palmetto Emerging All-Stars at 10am and the NCRU Elite All-Stars vs. Palmetto Elite All-Stars at 12pm. Former South College All-Star coaches Vince Atkinson and Wright Henry will be in attendence to run the joint training sessions, while the NCRU team will be lead by UNC-G's Jeremy Linne (Head Coach) and Josh Sutcliffe (Asst. Coach-Forwards), and UNC's Mike Groeneweld (Asst. Coach-Backs). The Palmetto team is coached by Nigel Platt, also a former South College All-Star coach and Geoff Mason, current head coach at University of South Carolina.

Wake Forest's Spring Schedule Released

The Wake Forest men's rugby team's spring schedule has been finalized. The schedule features a scrimmage with the University of North Carolina, an exhibition match with Division 2 power University of Mary Washington, and six Atlantic Coast Rugby League games. The full schedule is below.


1/28-1/30 Preseason Camp
2/5 University of North Carolina (Scrimmage)
2/12 OFF
2/19 @ University of Mary Washington
2/26 @ Clemson
3/5 University of Maryland
3/12 OFF
3/19 OFF
3/26 @ Virginia Tech
4/2 Georgia Tech
4/9 North Carolina St.
4/16 @ University of Virginia
4/23 ACRL Championship

Brandon Turner Featured in Wake Forest University News

http://news.wfu.edu/2010/11/01/mixing-it-up/

Wake Forest Adds New Coach for Spring Season

Wake Forest men's rugby has announced that Rob Duryea has joined the team as an assistant coach. Duryea, a first year MBA student at Wake, has a close to 20 year history in rugby. He began playing when joining the Marines after graduating from the United States Naval Academy where he was a boxer. Duryea has played for multiple military sides since 1992 and was selected to the All-Marine team while stationed at Quantico in the mid-2000s. Duryea, a wing and fullback during his playing career, will be working primarily with the backline. Additionally, Duryea's wife, Natalie, is a professional dietitian and will be assisting the team with proper nutrition plans. Head coach Patrick Kane said, "Adding Rob to our coaching staff could not come at a better time. His rugby experience and knowledge is extensive and his military background will be essential in instilling much-needed discipline and toughness in our team."

Exhibition Season Ends on Sour Note

(Kyle Rae O'Donnell photo)

Wake Forest's Fall 2010 exhibition season ended on Saturday with a 29-10 loss to North Carolina State. As was the case the week before against South Carolina, Wake Forest struggled at the scrum and was besieged by penalties. Wake allowed the more physical Wolfpack to pound over 5 tries, while managing only a single try in the waning minutes by junior center Ben Cohen to go along with a first half penalty goal from sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray. Head coach Patrick Kane said of the game afterwards, "The point of playing these games in the fall is to improve as a team and individuals and identify what we need to work on going into the offseason. This game certainly highlighted the areas we need to focus on over the next 3 months." While the result was disappointing, the game did have some bright spots, including the return from injury of junior wing Brandon Turner and the emergence of sophomore wing Todd McFadden, a crossover athlete from the Wake Forest track team. "With Brandon, Todd, Drew Chadwick, and with Franco Cima joining us in January, I think we will have one of the fastest backlines in the ACRL," said Kane. "The question will be if we can win enough ball to utilize that speed and improve our defensive structure so we don't hemorrhage tries like we did against USC and NC State."

Wake Forest Lineup vs. NC State

1. Matt Storck, Sr.
2. Matt Tucker, So. (Matt McCurdy, Fr. @ 35)
3. Justen Robinett, Jr.
4. Ross Hilton, Sr.
5. Ty Pierce, So. (Tim Zage, Fr. @ 65)
6. Jack Zimmerman, Fr.
7. Brendan Shea, Jr.
8. Hunter Lostan, Sr. (Chris Ryan, Jr. @ 73)
9. Will Hank, Jr.
10. Rob Kelly, So.
11. Brandon Turner, Jr.
12. Ben Cohen, Jr.
13. Ryan Tacon, Fr.
14. Drew Chadwick, Sr. (Todd McFadden, So. @ 50)
15. Johnny McMurray, So.

Wake Struggles Against USC

Wake Forest got beat handily on Saturday in an exhibition game with South Carolina. The Gamecocks were fitter and more physical than the Demon Deacons, using their hard-running forwards to create space for a talented backline. USC scored five tries in the first half, three coming directly from Wake Forest penalties inside their 22. Wake, meanwhile, could not find an offensive rythym and was constantly on the backfoot defensively. The Demon Deacons did manage two tries in the first stanza, one from sophomore scrumhalf Johnny McMurray after an excellent driving maul, and one from freshman center Ryan Tacon. McMurray converted both tries and also slotted a penalty goal for a personal tally of 12 first half points. The second half was more evenly contested, but Wake still struggled to stop the South Carolina forwards as they attacked off the fringes of the rucks. The Gamecocks ran in three more tries in the second forty, while Wake touched down two from juniors Brendan Shea and Ben Cohen.
Wake's fall exhibition season will end on Saturday when they take on the NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh. Kickoff for the match is tentatively scheduled for 11am.

Wake Lineup vs USC

1. Matt Storck, Sr.

2. Jack Zimmerman, Fr.

3. Ty Pierce, So. (Justen Robinett, Jr. @ 60)

4. Matt McCurdy, Fr.

5. Ross Hilton, Sr.

6. Tim Zage, Fr. (Clarke Ryan, Fr. @ 60)

7. Brendan Shea, Jr.

8. Hunter Lostan, Sr.

9. Johnny McMurray, So.

10. Rob Kelly, So.

11. Jim Kavalec, So.

12. Matt Tucker, So. (Steve McMillen, Sr. @ 40)

13. Ryan Tacon, Fr.

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

15. Ben Cohen, Jr.

Nationally-Ranked Gamecocks Up Next For Wake Forest

Fullback Johnny McMurray in action against USC in January

The Wake Forest men's rugby team takes a break from its fall exhibition schedule this weekend but will be back in action next weekend at home against the University of South Carolina. The Gamecocks are ranked #7 in the country in Division I-AA by American Rugby News and will provide by far the toughest test that the Demon Deacons have faced this fall. The last meeting between these teams was in January of this year when USC deafeated Wake 20-17 in the opening match of the Carolinas Rugby League season. The defeat left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Demon Deacon players who felt that they should have won the game. Although next week's game is simply an exhibition match, the Wake coaching staff views it as a measuring stick as to where the program is relative to other D1-AA competition leading into the spring ACRL season. Kickoff will be at 1pm on Poteat Field.

Alumni Challenged But Keep Perfect Record Intact

The Wake Forest Rugby Alumni team moved their record to 4-0 in the 4th Annual Homcoming game, defeating the current Wake side 29-19. The alumni jumped out to an early 14-0 lead with tries by flanker Trent Justice, '10 and 8man Greg Wagner, '07. Both tries were converted by flyhalf Patrick Kane, JD '07.

Greg Wagner, '07 touches down a try after an 8man pick

The undergrads rebounded with a try from freshmen wing Ryan Tacon to make the score 14-5, but the Alumni responded with a try from wing Jordan Weiss to push the lead to 19-5. As the superior fitness of the undergrads began to show, freshmen Liam McIntyre touched down to bring the score to 19-12 after a tremendous touchline conversion by sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray.

Wake Alumni run a penalty play close to the Undergrads tryline

The Alumni extended their lead to 24-12 after a well-executed lineout play resulted in a try for flanker Andrew Gentles, '05.

The final 20 minutes of action saw the undergrads pressuring hard and the Alumni struggling to hang on. McMurray scored a spectacular individual try and slotted another touchline conversion to bring the undergrads within striking distance at 24-19. But a ball handling error inside the undergrad 22 resulted in a try for lock Christian Jewett, '1? and the Alumni side moved its all-time record to an unblemished 4-0.

Alumni lineup
1. Hien Nguyen, '07
2. Mike Duffy, '10
3. Ken Forte, '10
4. Christian Jewett, '1?
5. Adam Blincoe, '07
6. Trent Justice, '10
7. Andrew Gentles, '05
8. Greg Wagner, '07
9. Achilleas Patounas, '06
10. Patrick Kane, JD '07
11. Jordan Weiss, '06
12. Matt Gottbrecht, '09
13. David Buckingham, '07
14. David Hobson, '08
15. Perry Salvagne, '10
16. Dave Poplaski, '09
17. RI Smith, '10
18. Matt Farrell, '05 (DNP, Injured)
19. Rusty Hedrick, '07 (DNP, Injured)

Francesco Cima to Enroll at Wake Forest for Spring Semester

Francesco Cima, an 18 yr old center/wing from the Marbella Rugby Club in Spain will enroll at Wake Forest in January and join the Demon Deacon rugby team. Cima, an accomplished soccer, rugby and track athlete who formerly held the U-17 Eurpoean record for the 100m, is the cousin of former High School All-American Matias Cima from Gonzaga. Matias is now the starting flyhalf for the University of Maryland, after choosing the Terps over Wake Forest last spring. "We were certainly disappointed when Matias chose not to come to Wake this fall, but I understand his reasons and why Maryland is a better fit for him right now," said Head Coach Patrick Kane. "But having his equally talented cousin now decide to come to Wake Forest certainly softens the blow of losing out on Matias. Francesco can play anywhere from 11-15 in the backline and he will be a tremendous addition to our team as we enter the first year of ACRL competition. But more importantly, the University is getting an incredibly smart and motivated young man who I can guarantee will be successful in the classroom."

Wake Forest's backline will be bolstered in the spring not only by the addition of Cima, but also by the return from injury of speedster wing Brandon Turner, who tore his ACL and meniscus playing for the North Carolina Rugby Union Collegiate All-Star team last November.

Brandon Turner and Ross Hilton Featured on Fox 8

http://www.myfox8.com/videobeta/7050b051-a1be-4be6-98a2-653854c2206d/News/Wake-Forest-Rugby

Wake Looks Strong Against Tough UNC-Wilmington Team

Freshmen Ryan Tacon breaks away for one of his three tries

Wake Forest improved on its performance last weekend against Elon with a solid showing against UNC-Wilmington in an exhibition game on Saturday in Winston-Salem. Playing three 35 minute periods, Wake's first side backline contributed 5 tries in the first two periods, three coming from freshmen Ryan Tacon in his debut for the Demon Deacons. Junior forward Brendan Shea also touched down twice in the first 70 minutes. Sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray continued his excellent goalkicking converting 6 of Wake's 7 tries. Wake Forest's defense allowed a try by the Seahawks in each of the first two periods, but UNC-W came alive in the third stanza to outscore the Demon Deacons three tries to zero.

Next Saturday Wake Forest plays its annual alumni game. Kickoff will be at 12pm at Poteat Field with alumni reception to follow.

Wake Shows Well in Exhibition Against Elon

Wake Forest outscored a young Elon side ten tries to one on a blistering hot day in Winston-Salem. The teams played three 30 minute periods with rolling substitutions. Wake's backline was in sync all afternoon, with centers Ben Cohen and Steve McMillen each scoring a pair of tries. Freshmen flanker Matt McCurdy and freshmen prop Bryce Lambert scored tries as well, as Wake's talented freshmen class continues to impress. Sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray was on target with the boot, going 8 of 9 on conversions. Wake will face a tough test next weekend when UNC-Wilmington visits Winston-Salem for another exhibition match.

Wake Opens XVs Exhibition Season with Game Against Elon

Wake Forest will play its first XVs game of the 2010-2011 season tomorrow, kicking off against the Elon Phoenix at 1pm on Poteat Field. The two teams last met at the North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament in the Fall of 2008, when the Demon Deacons defeated the Phoenix 24-0.

Dr. Marcum Profiled For Work With Rugby Team in Wake Forest Business Magazine

Dr. Bill Marcum, who has served as the Wake Forest men's rugby team's faculty and academic advisor for the past five years, was recently profiled for his work with the rugby team in the Wake Forest Business Magazine. A copy of the article can be found here:

http://catalog.proemags.com/publication/bd5ff6ae#/bd5ff6ae/36

Wake Rugger Moving on to Medicine

Wake Forest men's rugby legend Matt Gottbrecht has started at UMass Med School this fall. Gottbrecht continues to play with the Middlesex Barabrians while he studies to become a doctor. Gottbrecht joins Wake rugby alums Eric Jewett, '06 and David Hobson, '08 as Wake rugby grads entering into the medical profession.

Wake Finishes ACI with 3-3 Record, Loss in Challenger Division Final

Wake Forest went 2-1 in pool play on the first day of the Atlantic Coast Invitational, but fell to Virginia in the Quarterfinals and finished with a win over Georgia Tech and a loss to Clemson to close out the tournament.

On the first day of play, Wake opened against the Clemson Tigers. Wake controlled most of the game, but had trouble finishing plays. Senior Steve McMillen carried the Demon Deacons on his back in the first half, touching down two tries to put Wake Forest up 14-0 at the half. But Clemson scored to start the second half and make it 14-7. Wake looked to put the game away when senior Drew Chadwick made a dazzling run to the tryzone, beating 4 Clemson defenders in the process, but he lost the ball forward in the tryzone, giving the Tigers some life. A sideline tackle by senior Matt Storck forced a knockon and preserved the win for the Demon Deacons.

Lineup vs Clemson

1. Ross Hilton, Sr.

2. Jack Zimmerman, Fr.

3. Hunter Lostan, Sr. (Matt Storck, Sr. @ 11)

9. Johnny McMurray, So.

10. Brendan Shea, Jr.

12. Steve McMillen, Sr. (Ryan Tacon, Fr. @ 7)

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

Wake's second game pitted them against the Florida St. Seminoles. Wake took control early, with senior Hunter Lostan scoring in the first minute of play to put the Demon Deacons up 5-0. Unfortunately, Lostan was injured while scoring the try and had to leave the game. Shortly thereafter, senior captain Ross Hilton left the field with what was later determined to be a broken ankle, and Wake was without it's two inpsirational senior leaders. FSU took advantage of the situation and reeled off 17 unanswered points to win the game 17-5.

Wake Lineup v. Florida St.

1. Ross Hilton, Sr. (Ty Pierce @ 2)

2. Liam McIntyre, Fr. (Jack Zimmerman @ 7)

3. Hunter Lostan (Ryan Tacon @ 2)

9. Johnny McMurray, So.

10. Brendan Shea, Jr.

12. Steve McMillen, Sr.

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

Wake's final game of the day was against the NC State Wolfpack, who had won their first two games of the day handily. With McMillen and Hilton out with inkuries, the Wake lineup was shuffled around with Will Hank coming in at scrumhalf, McMurray moving to flyhalf, and Shea moving to prop. The revamped lineup played exceptionally, and with tries from McMurray and Chadwick, Wake came out on top 14-7.

Wake Lineup v. NC St.

1. Hunter Lostan, Sr.

2. Jack Zimmerman, Fr.

3. Brendan Shea, Jr.

9. Will Hank, Jr.

10. Johnny McMurray, So.

12. Ryan Tacon, Fr. (Matt Storck, Sr.)

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

Wake's win over NC St. meant that Wake, FSU, and NC State all finished pool play tied for first with 2-1 records. Tiebreak rules meant that NC State got the first seed out of the pool, FSU got the second seed, and Wake got the 3rd seed. Wake would therefore face the second seed from the opposite pool, University of Virginia, in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

With McMillen and Hilton ruled out for Sunday with injury, Wake went into its game with UVA undermanned but confident. A try by Jack Zimmerman in the first minute put Wake up 7-0, but UVA answered back with two tries to take a 10-7 lead at the half. The first 6 minutes of the second half were dominated by Wake Forest, as the Demon Deacons executed their best rugby of the season. But they only got 5 points out of it through a try by Chadwick. With less than a minute remaining, Wake led 12-10 and looked poised to advance to the semifinals. But a break by the Virginia wing resulted in a 5 meter scrum to Wake just outside their own tryzone. After winning the scrum, Wake kicked the ball downfield. The Virginia wing gathered the kick and raced towards the tryzone. Wake was whistled for a high tackle penalty, and on the ensuing quicktap, UVA barged into the tryzone to take the lead 15-12. A tremendous conversion put the Cavs up 17-12 with only one play left in the game. Wake received the kickoff and tried to attack for the game-tying try, but a missed pass allowed UVA to pounce on a loose ball in the tryzone to end the game with a try and a final score of 24-12.

Wake Lineup vs. UVA

1. Hunter Lostan, Sr.

2. Jack Zimmerman, Fr.

3. Matt Storck, Sr. (Ty Pierce, So.)

9. Will Hank, Jr.

10. Johnny McMurray, So.

12. Brendan Shea, Jr.

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

The loss sent Wake into the Challenger Division Semifinal against Georgia Tech. With the championship out of reach, Wake fielded a very young team, with 4 freshmen and two sophomores starting the match. The youthful Deacs showed that the future of Wake Forest rugby is very bright, with freshmen Jack Zimmerman and Ryan Tacon scoring tries, along with sophomore Rob Kelly and junior Brendan Shea en route to a 22-5 victory.

Wake Lineup vs. Georgia Tech

1. Matt McCurdy, Fr. (Matt Storck, Sr. @ 7, Ty Pierce, So. @ 10)

2. Jack Zimmerman, Fr.

3. Hunter Lostan, Sr. (Brendan Shea, Jr. @ 7)

9. Sal Scifo, So.

10. Rob Kelly, So.

12. Ryan Tacon, Fr.

14. Liam McIntyre, Fr.

The win over the Yellow Jackets sent Wake into the Challenger Final for a rematch against Clemson. The Tigers had gone 0-3 on Saturday but improved considerably with each match and were 2-1 on Sunday heading into the Challenger Final. Wake looked to play an entertaining style of rugby, but miscues and fatigue resulted in Clemson jumping out to an early lead. Wake struggled to climb back into the game and could not close the gap, the final whistle sounding with Clemson winning 24-17. Wake tries were scored by Chadwick, McMurray, and Zimmerman.

Wake Lineup v. Clemson

1. Hunter Lostan, Sr.

2. Liam McIntyre, Fr. (Jack Zimmerman, Fr. @ 15)

3. Matt Storck, Sr. (Ty Pierce, So. @ 10)

9. Sal Scifo, So. (Will Hank, Jr. @ 10)

10. Johnny McMurray, So.

12. Brendan Shea, Jr.

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

The tournament championship was won by NC State 24-12 over UNC. The Wolfpack finished the weekend 5-1, with their only loss coming to the Demon Deacons on Saturday.

Wake now switches gears to 15s rugby and will next be in action in an exhibition game against Elon at home on September 25.

http://www.acirugby.com/

ACI 7s Results

Articles courtesy of RugbyMag.com. More details to follow.

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/sevens/collegiate-7s/aci-7s-day-one.aspx

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/sevens/collegiate-7s/surprise-ending-for-aci-7s.aspx

Henry Lost to Torn ACL, MCL

Senior prop Devin Henry will miss the entirety of the 2010-2011 rugby season after tearing numerour knee ligaments in a pickup basketball game recently. Henry was slated to be Wake Forest's first choice tighthead prop and his absence depletes an already undermanned Demon Deacon pack heading into the start of XVs play in two weeks.

Mehrmann Likely Out For Year

Wake Forest sophomore scrumhalf Drew Mehrmann is likely out for the year after being diagnosed late last week with a serious blood condition. Mehrmann, who was expected to play a large role for Wake Forest in next weekend's Atlantic Coast Invitational, has been hospitalized since Thursday and will remain at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center until at least next Friday as doctors monitor his health. Mehrmann missed most of last year as well recovering from surgery on a separated shoulder suffered in the second match of the fall. He returned to action in the late spring, contributing on the field in victories over East Carolina and Duke. Said head coach Patrick Kane upon receiving the news about Mehrmann, "It is really disappointing for our team, but even moreso for Drew. This is a kid who has tremendous potential and has now been robbed of his first two years of college rugby. Hopefully he can recover from this and get back on the field as quickly as possible." Merhmann attended high school in Hong Kong, where he was a standout flanker on his school's rugby team. He was transitioning nicely to the scrumhalf position last fall when he suffered the shoulder separation that caused him to miss most of his freshman season.

Squad Announced for Atlantic Coast Invitational

Head Coach Patrick Kane has announced his 15-man roster for the Atlantic Coast Invitational today after a final training session this afternoon. The players selected are:

Ross Hilton, Sr. (Captain)
Hunter Lostan, Sr.
Drew Chadwick, Sr.
Matt Storck, Sr.
Steve McMillen, Sr.
Brendan Shea, Jr.
Will Hank, Jr.
Tyre Pierce, So.
Johnny McMurray, So.
Sal Scifo, So.
Rob Kelly, So.
Jack Zimmerman, Fr.
Liam McIntyre, Fr.
Ryan Tacon, Fr.
Matt McCurdy, Fr.

Atlantic Coast Invitational

http://www.rugbymag.com/news/sevens/collegiate-7s/aci-heads-list-of-fall-college-7s-events.aspx

Wake Forest Sevens Scrimmages

View and purchase photos from the Sevens scrimmages this weekend between Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, UNC-Greensboro, and East Carolina.

http://www.athletic-photos.net/wfurugbyscrimmage

Wake Takes to Field on Saturday in Preparation for Atlantic Coast Invitational

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby team will get into action on Saturday at Poteat Field as it participates in 7s scrimmages with Virginia Tech, East Carolina, and UNC-Greensboro as it prepares for the Atlantic Coast Invitational on Sept. 11-12 in Greensboro (www.acirugby.com). The scrimmages will be used to work on offensive defensive patterns as well as help the Wake coaching staff make final selections for its 15 man roster for the ACI. Head coach Patrick Kane said that his roster for the ACI has mostly been chosen, but that there are one or two players that he needs to see in action before making the final decision. Additionally, the scrimmages will allow the new crossover athletes who have joined the team to get their first taste of live rugby action. Scrimmages will begin at 1pm and continue through 5pm.

ACI 7s One Month Away

One month from today, 15 Wake Forest rugby players will run into Macpherson Stadium at Bryan Park in Greensboro to take on the Maryland Terrapins in their first match of the Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s. Don't miss the chance to watch the Demon Deacons in action. Make your plans to be at the ACI 7s right away! Visit http://www.acirugby.com/ for schedule and hotel information.

Legge Named to Barbarians Roster for National Club Sevens Championships

Legge spins the ball out against Boston College

in the 2009 Atlantic Coast Invitational

Drew Legge, Wake Forest Rugby Class of '09, has been selected to the Denver Barbarians 12-man roster for the USA Rugby National Club Sevens Championships next weekend in San Francisco. Legge will be playing alongside US Eagles Mark Bokhoven and Nic Johnson for a squad that is one of the favorites going into the event.

Wake Forest Legends Win Bowl at Middlesex 7s

The Wake Forest Legends, a 7s team put together each summer to compete in selected tournaments, won the Bowl at the Middlesex 7s outside of Boston on Saturday. The Legends won their first two games in pool play, beating the Nairobi Exiles 21-12 and then disposing of New Haven 20-5. Wake next came up against the Mystic River first side, who was using the tournament to tune up for the national club 7s next weekend in San Francisco. The Legends were never in the game and Mystic were run away winners. The loss left Wake out of competition for the Cup and needing to win its last pool play match against the Middlesex Savages to advance to the Plate final. Tired legs and poor tackling allowed the Savages to come away with a 19-10 win and sent the Legends into the Bowl final against Mystic River B. In an exciting back and forth affair in which the lead changed hands 4 times, Wake came away with a 24-19 win. Tyler Eure led Wake to the Bowl Championship with two long range tries in the second half of the final. Christian Jewett was named team MVP based on his solid play throughout the day for the Legends.

Wake Forest Legends Roster for Middlesex 7s

1. Timo Kawira, '09
2. Dave Taveira, '09
3. Hunter Lostan, '11
4. Christian Jewett, '11
5. Mike Duffy, '10
6. Matt Gottbrecht, '09
7. Brendan Shea, '12
8. Andrew Gentles, '05
9. Tyler Eure, '08
10. Peter Cloutier, '14

Non-Playing Members
Justin Edwards, '??
Ross Hilton, '11
John Keough, '08

Wake Names New Strength and Conditioning Coach

Justice in action against Clemson in 2010

Trent Justice, Wake Forest Rugby Class of 2010, will rejoin the team this fall as its new strength and conditioning coach. Justice will take over the role formerly held by Assistant Head Coach Alex Lucas, who has departed to pursue a PhD at Ohio State University. Justice will be responsible for running the team's strength and conditioning program and will serve as an assistant coach on gameday.

Atlantic Coast Invitational Approaching

WF Rugby Balls Now Available

Customized WF Rugby balls are now available for purchase through the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation. Balls are $25 plus $5 for shipping and handling. Contact Director of Men's Rugby Patrick Kane at pmkane78@aol.com to place your order.

Shea Wins Gold Medal at Nutmeg State Games

Wake Forest junior Brendan Shea won a gold medal in Rugby 7s at the Connecticut Nutmeg State Games this past weekend. Shea was competing with a team comprised of Fairfield Prep Alumni, including Kyle Caravelli, current Cal scrumhalf and son of USA 7s head coach Al Caravelli. The Prep Alumni rolled to the gold medal game easily, defeating Fairfield University 42-7 and an Eastern Connecticut squad 35-0 in pool play. The Prep Alumni matched up against Fairfield University again in the final and again won handily, 32-5. In the gold medal game, Shea scored a 50 meter try to put his squad up by 20 and seal the victory.

ACI 7s Schedule Released, Wake Opens against Terrapins

The schedule for the 2010 Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s tournament has been released. Wake Forest is in Pool B with North Carolina St., Maryland, Clemson, and Florida State. The Demon Deacons open play on Saturday against Maryland. The tournament is at McPherson Stadium in Greensboro, NC on September 11-12. For the full schedule, go to http://www.acirugby.com/schedule.html.

Wake Forest Rugby Merchandise Now For Sale Online

Fans and supporters of Wake Forest Rugby can now purchase custom Wake Forest Rugby merchandise online through Scrumbot. Just follow the link below or click on the link on the right hand side of this page. Twenty percent of all sale proceeds will go to the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation and be used to support the Wake Forest men's rugby team.

http://scrumbot.com/shop?ctype=0&ma=4&c=219578

Wake Brings on New Coach for Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s

Jeremy Linne will be a Wake Forest Assistant Coach for the ACI 7s

The Wake Forest men's rugby team has secured the services of UNC-Greensboro men's rugby head coach Jeremy Linne to serve as an assistant coach for the Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s Tournament in Greensboro on September 11-12, 2010. Linne has both an impressive playing and coaching resume. He was a perrenial all-star scrumhalf at the University of Tennesse, and then played for the Super League's Chicago Lions after graduation. Linne has been head coach at UNC-G for two years, and in that short time has taken the team from a mediocre Division 3 team to an impressive team that will be challenging for the Division 2 Carolinas Rugby League title next spring. Linne also served as assistant coach for the North Carolina Rugby Union men's collegiate All-Star program last fall and will take over the reins as head coach of the program with the departure of Andy Richards.

Said Wake Forest head coach Patrick Kane of the decision to bring on Linne, "I expect that our side for the ACI 7s will be very young and we will have only a small window of time to get the team ready for the tournament. Jeremy's expertise therefore will be sorely needed during the run-up to the tourney and I was thrilled when he agreed to come on and assist. The success that UNC-G has had under Linne is a testament to his ability to organize, teach, and motivate and our players will grow under his tutelage, even during the short period that he is working with them."

The Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s is a tournament for men's rugby teams from the schools that comprise the Atlantic Coast Conference. It will take place on September 11-12 at McPherson Stadium in Greensboro, NC. For more information, vist www.acirugby.com.

Atlantic Coast Invitational Gaining Local Media Attention

Check out an article from the Jamestown News featuring the Atlantic Coast Invitational.

http://jamestownnews.womacknewspapers.com/articles/2010/06/22/news/sports/sports46.txt

Seniors Continue Tradition of Academic Success

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby team continued to show that it is committed to excellence not only on the field, but also in the classroom. The nine team members who received their undergraduate degrees last week graduated with a combined GPA of 3.27. Michael Duffy and Trent Justice graduated magna cum laude, while David Sage graduated cum laude. While the Class of 2010 fell short of the mark set by the Class of 2009, whose six members graduated with a combined GPA of 3.45, team faculty advisor Dr. Bill Marcum was still pleased. "These young men are at Wake Forest first and foremost to get an excellent education," said Marcum, a Finance professor in the undergraduate School of Business. "The team's coaches and I take pride in the academic success of our student-athletes and we know that a big part of our job is to make sure they are doing their best in the classroom."

Kane Named to USA Rugby College Committee

Wake Forest Head Coach and Director of Men's Rugby Patrick Kane has been appointed to the USA Rugby College Committee. See the press release from USA Rugby below.

BOULDER, Colo. - Supporting its commitment to develop college rugby, USA Rugby confirmed today the members of its College Rugby Strategic Committee who will advise and guide the work of Todd Bell, USA Rugby Collegiate Director, whose appointment was announced in early May.

The new College Rugby Strategic Committee will be chaired by USA Rugby’s Board member Peter Seccia and will include a cross section of coaches and administrators from the college game.

Joining Seccia on the committee will be Pat Kane (USA Rugby South Congress and Director of Men’s Rugby at Wake Forest University); Chip Auscavitch (NERFU Director of Division II Men’s Colleges); Marty Bradley (Collegiate Director, Rugby South / Assistant Coach University of Tennessee Men’s Rugby); MaryBeth Mathews (Assistant Dean of First Year Students and Head Coach Varsity Women's Rugby Bowdoin College); Dan Payne (Director of Rugby Life University); Matt Sherman (USA Rugby and University of San Diego State Men’s Coach); Alex Williams (USA Rugby Women’s High Performance Manager); and Bell.

The College Rugby Strategic Committee have now met three times and will narrow its focus on the creation of a new Elite Men’s College Competition and the impact it will have on all levels of the college game. The Committee will also be in charge of creating a best practices paper for the development of college programs.

Kane will head up the integration of the new men’s competition supported by Sherman and Auscavitch, while Mathews and Bradley have commenced work on the development of a best practices document.

For more information, please contact USA Rugby’s Communication Director Swright@usarugby.org or College Rugby Director Todd Bell at tbell@usarugby.org.

Wake Announces Initial Fall Recruiting Class

The Wake Forest men's rugby team has announced its initial incoming recruiting class for the Fall of 2010. As always, the team expects to add a number of additional new crossover athletes once freshmen arrive on campus in late August.

Liam McIntyre











Liam McIntyre (6', 185 lbs) is a loose forward from Baltimore, MD. He began playing rugby at age 10 while living in London and played for Dulwich College. When he returned to the States at age 15, he continued playing with Baltimore Poly High School and the Baltimore-Chesapeake Brumbies men's club.

Jack Zimmerman










Jack Zimmerman (6'1", 200 lbs) is a loose forward from Connecticut. He played rugby for Northeast power Greenwich High School, captaining the side to a 3rd place finish in the Northeast playoffs this past spring.

Brendan Whalen








Brendan Whalen (6', 170 lbs) is a flyhalf from the Washington, DC area. He started at flyhalf for Georgetown Prep for the past three years and will be a welcome addition to a Wake Forest backline that was besieged by injuries last season.

Matt Gray











Matt Gray (6'1", 190 lbs) comes to Wake Forest from East Chapel Hill, where he played for the famed Highlanders program. Matt can slot in at virtually all positions in the forwards.

Clarke Ryan











Clarke Ryan (6'4", 215 lbs) is a crossover athlete from Rye, NY who comes to Wake with no rugby experience, but an impressive athletic background. Clarke was a standout tight end and defensive end for Rye Country Day School's football team and was a pitcher and third baseman for their baseball team. Clarke's brother plays lock for the Princeton University rugby team and Clarke will likely follow in his footsteps and play second row for Wake.

Bradley Neal

Brad Neal (5'10", 200 lbs) is a prop from the Landon School in Bethesda, MD. Brad will be joining his former Landon teammates and current Wake players Sal Scifo and Rob Kelly on the field in the fall.

Ryan Tacon








Ryan Tacon (6'2", 210 lbs) is from Mobile, AL but has spent the last 8 years playing rugby in London, England. He is a center who can play any position in the backline and will look to step in to the center positions vacated by graduated seniors Mike Wills, David Sage, and Perry Salvagne. This past year he captained his school to the International Schools Sports Tournament Championship.

Legge in Lineup for Super League Playoff Tilt

Drew Legge, '09

Former Wake Forest scrumhalf Drew Legge, '09 has been named as a reserve today for the Denver Barbarians as they take on the Boston Rugby Club in the Rugby Super League Quarterfinals. Legge was named Wake Forest's MVP for the 2008-2009 season and has been playing for the Barbarians since August 2009.

Legge gets the ball out against Boston College in the 2009 Atlantic Coast Invitational

Four Wake Rugby Alumni Playing in USA Rugby Men's Club Playoffs in Columbia, SC

David Buckingham, '07, in action for New Orleans

Four former Wake Forest rugby players will be participating in the USA Rugby Men's Club Championships round of 16 the weekend of May 22-23 in Columbia, SC. Aiden O'Leary, '05 plays wing and fullback for New Haven, who faces Life University in the Division I competition. Matt Gottbrecht, '09 plays #8 for Middlesex, who matches up against Brandywine in the Division II competition. Also playing in the Division II competition is David Buckingham, '07, a wing/fullback for New Orleans. New Orleans opens their title pursuit with a matchup against Lincoln Park. Finally, Rusty Hedrick, '07, will play for the Triad Dogs in Division III as they take on Cedar Rapids. Hedrick is a lock/prop for Triad.

ACI 7s to be Held at MacPherson Stadium in Greensboro

MacPherson Stadium

The 2010 Atlantic Coast Invitational Rugby Sevens Tournament, featuring the men's rugby teams from the schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference, will be held the weekend of September 11-12 at MacPherson Stadium in Greensboro, NC. MacPherson Stadium is the home of the Carolina Dynamo professional soccer team and is operated by Greensboro Youth Soccer. The stadium has previously hosted the 2004, 2005, and 2008 NCAA Division III soccer championships.

Wake Forest Releases 2010 Fall Schedule

The Wake Forest men's rugby team will play games against nationally-ranked Tennessee and South Carolina as well as participate in the Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s Tournament and the North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament during its 2010 Fall Campaign. The complete schedule can be found below:

Aug. 28: 7s Scrimmages (Virginia Tech, UNC-Greensboro, East Carolina) @ Wake Forest
Sept. 11-12: Atlantic Coast Invitational 7s @ Greensboro, NC
Sept. 25: Elon University @ Wake Forest
Oct. 2: UNC-Wilmington @ Wake Forest (Parents Weekend)
Oct. 9: Alumni Game @ Wake Forest (Homecoming Weekend)
Oct. 16: University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN)
Oct. 23: University of South Carolina @ Wake Forest
Oct. 30-31: North Carolina Rugby Union Tournament

Awards and Scholarship Given Out at Year End Banquet

(L to R: Dr. Bill Marcum, Ross Hilton, and Greg Wagner, '07)

On Thursday night the Wake Forest men's rugby team held its annual year end awards banquet in the newly constructed Deacon Tower at BB&T Field. Players, coaches, alumni, and supporters gathered to bid farewell to the departing seniors, honor those players who had standout years on the field, and look back on the past season and forward to next year. The night began with the graduating seniors receiving plaques and alumni jerseys as recognition for all the work they put in over the past four years. Gabe Huertas del Pino, Perry Salvagne, Trent Justice, Ken Forte, David Sage, Mike Wills, Christian Jewett, and Mike Duffy will be graduating in May and moving on to life after Wake Forest. Also graduating will be RI Smith, who served as the team's publicity director and videographer for the past two years. All nine of these individuals contributed greatly to the team during their time at Wake Forest and they will be missed.

The team then gave out individual awards to players who had standout seasons on the field. As voted on by the players, Ty Pierce was named most improved player, Johnny McMurray was named Rookie of the Year, Ross Hilton and Trent Justice were named co-Defensive Players of the Year, Brendan Shea was named Offensive Player of the Year, and Mike Duffy was voted the team's Most Valuable Player.

The night continued with the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation awarding its first ever scholarship. The Marcum Scholarship, named for the team's current faculty advisor Dr. Bill Marcum, will be given annually to a current member of the Wake Forest men's rugby program who is entering his final year of collegiate eligibility. It is awarded to someone who has exhibited a commitment to excellence on the rugby field and in the classroom during his time with the program. Greg Wagner, '07, a member of the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation Board of Directors and a member of the Marcum Scholarship Committee, was on hand to present the inaugural award to Ross Hilton. Hilton will graduate this May with honors in Mathematics and will be continuing at Wake Forest for a graduate degree next year. He has been a three year starter at lock, a two time North Carolina Rugby Union College All-Star, and was elected team president for next season.

Finally, the team honored assistant coach Alex Lucas, who will be leaving the team next year to pursue a Ph.D. at Ohio State University. Lucas, a Zimbabwe native who formerly captained the Zimbabwe U-19 team and spent four years as a strength and conditioning coach with the Natal Sharks, coached the team the past two years and really helped elevate the players' skill levels and fitness levels. His expertise was invaluable and he will be sorely missed next year.

Awards:
Mike Duffy - MVP
Brendan Shea - Offensive Player of the Year
Ross Hilton and Trent Justice - Co-Defensive Players of the Year
John McMurray - Rookie of the Year
Tyre Pierce - Most Improved Player
Ross Hilton - Marcum Scholarship

Team Elects New Officers

The Wake Forest men's rugby team elected its administrative officers for the 2010-2011 school year yesterday. Ross Hilton was elected as team president, with Matt Storck chosen as vice-president. A full list of officers is below:

President: Ross Hilton
Vice-President: Matt Storck
Match Coordinator: Ben Cohen
Treasurer: Johnny McMurray
Social Coordinators: Chris Ryan and Will Hank
Publicity Directors: Brendan Shea and Brandon Turner
Alumni Liason: Hunter Lostan

Wake Rugby Showcases Sevens Skills at UNC 7s

Ty Pierce, 7s Specialist

Wake Forest entered three sides in the annual Friday Night UNC 7s tournament, a fun event that kicks off UNC Rugby's annual spring alumni weekend.

The night started with Wake Forest's upperclassman side losing a close match to Duke, 19-15. Both teams scored three tries, but Christian Jewett's inability to even come close to converting either of his two tries proved to be the difference in the match.

Next up was Wake Forest's all-front row side. Averaging 250 pounds per player, the side started out with a game plan to play tight, possession rugby and aiming to send the sport of Rugby Sevens back to the caveman era. However, a strange thing happened and the front row side abandoned the game plan and instead played a wide open, free-flowing, expansive rugby game (albeit in slow motion). Trailing 5-0 to the UNC Alumni side near the end of the first half, freshman prop Ty Pierce excited the crowd when he took the ball near his own goal line and raced 95 meters for a try, shedding numerous would-be tacklers along the way. Adding to the incredibleness of the score was the fact that Pierce calmly converted the try after touching down between the post. Said Pierce of his spectacular run, "It may have looked like the guys trying to tackle me were weak, but really I just owned them in the face."

After UNC Alumni scored to start the second half and go up 12-7, senior prop Ken Forte ripped the ball from a UNC ball-carrier near midfield, and spun off the maul with the ball hidden behind his back. As the other 13 players on the field continued to contest a ball-less maul, Forte ran undetected to the tryzone and touched down to tie the score. Forte would be the hero again moments later when he took a sweet off-load from prop Delicious Henry and scored the game winning try for the front row side.

Next up for Wake was an underclassman side against another UNC side. While the underclassman showed some spurts of good play, lack of Rugby Sevens acumen and missed tackles lead to a loss. The highlight of the game for Wake was an impressive Ty Pierce-like try scoring run for sophomore Tyler Vanston who used a devastating half-forearm fend-off to beat a number of tacklers. Asked about his spectacular play after the match, Vanston was too busy texting on his cell phone to comment.

The Wake upperclassman side then got a chance to redeem itself against the UNC Alumni team. With the UNC Alumni looking to rebound from its defeat to the Wake front row side, it was sure to be a great game. Except that it wasn't. The Alumni had no match for the shiftiness of Gumbi-like flyhalf Brendan Shea and the power of prop Hunter Lostan who showed incredible heart in playing in spite of the numerous serious leg injuries that had kept him out of practice for the past 3 weeks. Both players touched down multiple tries and sent the Wake uperclassmen into the Bowl Final.

The Wake underclassman side continued to struggle next against Duke. The side's performance was much-improved from its first game, but missed tackles continued to haunt the team as Duke seemingly turned every Wake mistake into a try.

Ken Forte, Try Machine

Wake's front row team then took the field for the Cup semi-finals against UNC-Pembroke. Once again deviating from the game plan right from the opening kickoff, the front row side played some good rugby with prop Ken Forte again doing most of the damage offensively. Defensively props Nick Conte and Blind Havins set the tone, while hookers Justen Robinett and Jeff Millar directed the team from the scrumhalf and flyhalf positions. Down 12-10 in the waning moments of the match, the front rows made a desparate push for the try that would send them into the Cup finals. Impact sub Matt Tucker made a long run and was brought down just short of the goalline. In the ensuing ruck a knockon was called on Wake, ending the game and dashing the front rows' hopes of a championship.

In the Bowl final, the Wake uperclassman took on a Duke side lead by former US Eagles 7s player James Gillenwater and a number of South American imports. Unphased by the Blue Devil's international presence, Wake dominated the game from start to finish. Shea once again scored multiple tries, confirming that he is actually almost as good as he thinks he is. Christian Jewett, Mike Duffy, and David Sage also scored tries to lead the rout, while Perry Salvagne played spectacular defense from the sweeper position. Trent Justice was also on the field.

Trent Justice. Was there.

The night ended for Wake with the front row side taking on a UNC side in the plate final. The team's magical cinderella run came to an end with a 19-5 defeat. Wake's lone try was scored by Delicious Henry on a powerful run down the sideline that included a stiff-arm that sent a UNC defender airborne and delighted the crowd.

Once again, the UNC 7s proved to be a fun event and Wake Forest thanks the Tar Heels for their hospitality.

The Wake Forest men's rugby 2009-2010 season will conclude on April 22 with its annual year-end awards banquet. The banquet will be held this year at Deacon Tower and will be highlighted by the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation awarding its first scholarship.

Wake Forest Rugby Foundation Announces Scholarships

The Wake Forest Rugby Foundation has announced the creation of two $1000 scholarships to be awarded to members of the Wake Forest men's rugby team beginning in the 2010-2011 academic year. One scholarship will be awarded to an incoming freshman who has excelled in academics and rugby during high school. Criteria used by the scholarship committee in determining the recipient of this award include rugby accomplishments, academic record and achievements, community involvement and financial need. The scholarship will be renewable on an annual basis at the discretion of the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation. The second scholarship will be awarded to a current member of the Wake Forest men's rugby program who is entering his final year of collegiate eligibility. It will be given to someone who has exhibited a commitment to excellence on the rugby field and in the classroom during his time with the team. The recipient must have shown sustained dedication to the team both on and off the field.

For information on applying for these scholarships or to make a donation to the scholarship fund, please contact Wake Forest Rugby Foundation President Andrew Gentles at Andrew.Gentles@wellsfargo.com.

Wake Ends Season on Winning Note

Wake Forest finished what was a frustrating season on a high note on Friday night, defeating Duke 43-7 in Durham. After withstanding early pressure from the Blue Devils off the opening kickoff, Wake drew first blood with a try between the posts from sophomore flanker Justen Robinett. Senior fullback Perry Salvagne's conversion made the score 7-0. The Demon Deacon forwards dominated the breakdown and the set pieces, and from a maul driven about 30 meters to the Duke goalline, Christian Jewett went over to make the score 12-0. Duke got on the scoresheet minutes later when their dangerous fullback gathered in an attempted chip kick from Wake's flyhalf and sped around and outside the Wake Forest defense to bring the Blue Devils within five at 12-7. But Wake closed the half with a tremendous individual try-scoring effort from senior center David Sage and Salvagne's conversion made it 19-7 at the break.

The second half started with Wake winning a scrum against the head and Robinett picking from the base and going 30 meters for his second try of the night. Sophomore fullback Will Hank converted to extend Wake's lead to 26-7. From there out it was all Wake Forest as a Duke pack that was missing a number of regulars due to injury and unavailability had trouble competing in the scrum and had no answer for the Demon Deacons' maul. The Wake forwards continually set the platform and allowed the backs to run into space, with sophomore flyhalf Brendan Shea, sophomore wing Tyler Vanston, and freshman wing Rob Kelly all touching down. Hank converted one of the tries to bring the final tally to 43-7.

Friday night's victory marks the last collegiate game for seniors Mike Duffy, Ken Forte, Christian Jewett, David Sage, Trent Justice, Perry Salvagne, and Gabe Huertas del Pino. Wake Forest rugby owes a huge debt of gratitude to this graduating class as they served as the foundation for Wake to move from a Division 3 team to one that will next year be a Division 1 team competing in the Atlantic Coast Rugby League. Duffy and Forte were four year starters in the front row, while Jewett, Sage, Justice and Salvagne all have been mainstays in the Demon Deacons lineup for the past three years.

While the departure of these seniors will leave holes in the team, the future looks very bright for Wake Forest. Freshman center Matt Tucker was extremely impressive on Friday night in his first action with the first team, garnering man of the match honors. Tucker will be counted on to solidify a backline next year that will be bolstered by the return of sophomores Ben Cohen and Brandon Turner from injury. The forwards, meanwhile, will be led by North Carolina Rugby Union All-Star Ross Hilton who will return to Wake for grad school and his final year of eligibility. Hilton will be joined by fellow All-Star Matt Storck who missed the entirety of the 2009-2010 season due to injury and 8-man Hunter Lostan who had a breakout year at the base of the scrum. The return of Cohen to the backline means that Brendan Shea, who performed admirably at #10 this season, can move back to flanker, adding more power and skill to the Wake forwards. Additionally, Wake hopes to soon announce a star-studded recruiting class that will help the Demon Deacons challenge for the inaugural Atlantic Coast Rugby League title in 2011.

Wake Lineup vs Duke

1. Devin Henry, Jr. (Nick Conte, So. @ 40)
2. Jeff Millar, So. (Chris Ryan, So. @ 65)
3. Ken Forte, Sr. (Matt Layden, So. @ 65)
4. Ross Hilton, Sr.
5. Christian Jewett, Sr.
6. Ty Pierce, Fr. (Sal Scifo, Fr. @ 60
7. Justen Robinett, So. (Drew Mehrmann, Fr. @ 63)
8. Trent Justice, So.
9. Mike Duffy, Sr.
10. Brendan Shea, So.
11. Barrett Corrigan, Fr. (Tyler Vanston, So. @ 40; John Borkowski, Fr. @ 65)
12. Matt Tucker, Fr.
13. David Sage, Sr.
14. Gabe Huertas del Pino, Sr. (Rob Kelly, Fr. @ 40)
15. Perry Salvagne, Sr. (Will Hank, So. @ 40)

Tries:
Robinett (2), Jewett, Sage, Shea, Vanston, Kelly

Conversions:
Salvagne (2), Hank (2)

Wake Forest to Take On Duke in Friday Night Exhibition

Wake Forest will travel to Durham on Friday evening to play Duke in a post-season exhibition game. The two teams last faced each other in February of 2007, when they played to a 16-16 tie at Wake Forest. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm.

Carolinas Rugby League Teams Advance in South Playoffs

North Carolina State and Appalachian State advanced to the semifinals of the USA Rugby South Division 2 Collegiate Competition on Saturday, marking the third consecutive year that two teams from Wake Forest's league have reached the final four of the D2 competition. North Carolina State travelled to Atlanta and beat Ole Miss from the SEC 43-22. Meanwhile, App. St. travelled to Vanderbilt, another SEC foe, and won 22-3. The Wolfpack and Mountaineers will now play next weekend in Murfreesboro, TN to determine who will advance to the USA Rugby Division 2 playoffs.

In 2008 Wake Forest and East Carolina advanced to the South Final Four and in 2009 East Carolina and Appalachian State were among the last four teams standing.

Wake Rugby to Join Atlantic Coast Rugby League

With more shakeups on tap in the collegiate rugby landscape, Wake Forest will become a part of the Atlantic Coast Rugby League next year. See the new league's inaugural press release at American Rugby News by clicking the link below.

http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/college/New_Atlantic_Coast_League.shtml

Carolinas Rugby League Season Ends With Loss to Appalachian St.

For the second consecutive year, Wake Forest met Appalachian St. in the final game of the regular season with a playoff berth on the line. And for the second consecutive year, it was the Mountaineers who grabbed the playoff berth, defeated the Demon Deacons 31-10. Wake Forest had the run of play in the first half, utilizing a game plan designed to keep the ball away from the dangerous ASU backline. Strong forward play eventually led to a try from scrumhalf Mike Duffy, but the easy conversion was missed and Wake was in front 5-0. Appalachian St. responded with a penalty goal to bring the score to 5-3, and then the tide turned when 8-man Hunter Lostan was yellow-carded with 7 minutes left in the half for repeated infringements in the tackle. Appalachian St. jumped on the man advantage and scored a converted try to go up 10-5 at the break. The Mountaineers continued to press their advantage at the start of the second half, venturing deep into Wake territory and putting another 7 points on the board shortly after Lostan was released from the bin. Then an ill-adivsed pass from lock Christian Jewett inside the 22 went to ground and was scooped up by an App. St. player who walked in for an easy try. With the score 24-5, the result was no longer in doubt. Wake Forest pressured some in the waning minutes, aided by 3 yellow cards to Appalachain St. for malicious tackles, but lazy play by wing Tyler Vanston allowed the Mountaineers to score a try while down two men and stretch the lead to 31-5. A late unconverted try by Wake brought the final scoreline to 31-10. Appalachian St. (3-3) will now advance to the South Division 2 quarterfinals against Vanderbilt, while Wake concludes the inaugural Carolinas Rugby League season at 2-4 and in 5th place.

Wake Lineup vs Appalachian St.

1. Nick Conte, So.
2. Jeff Millar, So.
3. Ken Forte, Sr.
4. Ross Hilton, Sr.
5. Christian Jewett, Sr.
6. Kip Lewis, So.
7. Trent Justice, Sr. (Devin Henry, Jr. @ 48)
8. Hunter Lostan, Jr.
9. Mike Duffy, Sr. (Rob Kelly, Fr. @ 72)
10. Brendan Shea, So.
11. Will Hank, So.
12. David Sage, Sr.
13. Perry Salvagne, Sr.
14. Tyler Vanston, So. (Gabe Huertas Del Pino, Sr. @ 65)
15. John McMurray, Fr.

Tries: Duffy, Lostan

Game Against Appalachian St. Moved to Wake Forest

With Appalachian St. once again forced to leave home because of field availability issues, the game between Wake Forest and ASU has been moved to Wake Forest. ASU originally thought they had secured the use of Charlotte RFC's facility for the match, but those arrangements fell through late in the week, leaving no other option than to play the game at Wake. This game is the Carolinas Rugby League regular season finale for both teams; the winner will advance to the playoffs, while the loser's competitive season will come to a close. Kickoff is set for 10am on Poteat Field.

DC-Area Teams Dominate Showcase

Both Gonzaga and Hyde won both of their matches this weekend at the 3rd Annual Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase. Gonzaga defeated East Chapel Hill on Saturday and West Shore United on Sunday, with Hyde doing the same in the reverse order - beating West Shore United on Saturday and East Chapel Hill on Sunday. The level of rugby exhibited by the teams attending this year's was exceptional, with the highlight of the weekend being the early Sunday morning game between Hyde and East Chapel Hill. The game was an exciting back and forth affair, with Hyde's dynamic backline ultimately leading its team to a 36-29 victory over a talented and well-organized Highlanders squad. Wake Forest rugby looks forward to hopefully having all four teams return for next year's event.

Wake Tops Pirates, Stays Alive in Playoff Hunt

In below freezing temperatures with winds gusting at close to 40 mph, Wake Forest beat East Carolina 46-38 on Thursday night in Greenville, NC. The bonus point victory keeps Wake alive for a playoff spot with one game remaining on its Carolinas Rugby League slate.

Wake Forest opened the scoring on with a converted try from sophomore flyhalf Brendan Shea in the 6th minute. But as would be a pattern throughout the first half, ECU struck back immediately with a try of their own to make the score 7-5. With winds rendering the kicking game useless and making lineouts difficult, both teams opted to take quick taps at almost all penalties, the result of which was fast-paced, free-flowing, exciting rugby. Wake scored next when sophomore wing Will Hank touched down in the corner, but ECU evened the score at 12 within minutes. A long range try from senior scrumhalf Mike Duffy put Wake ahead 17-12, but ECU responded with a converted try to go up 19-17. Senior inside center David Sage went over to make it 22-19 in favor of Wake, but ECU scored in the 40th minute to take a 24-22 lead into the break.

With the wind shifting a bit in the second half, Wake had the full run of play and looked to be clear of the Pirates. Tries from Duffy, 8man Hunter Lostan, flanker Trent Justice, and prop Ken Forte put Wake ahead 46-24 and the rout appeared to be on. But the young East Carolina side showed how dangerous it can be, and in the final 5 minutes spectacular individual efforts from ECU inside center and captain Justin Bourgeois and fullback Bobby Allen saw ECU narrow the gap to 46-38. With the outcome of the game suddenly hanging in the balance, Wake pressured deep into ECU territory and from a 5 meter scrum Duffy put the ball into touch to end the game and seal the win.

Wake Forest head coach Patrick Kane, who had previously been 0-6 against East Carolina, said of the match, "with the cold and windy conditions, you would have expected a low scoring affair. Instead, we got just the opposite and although I wish we hadn't made it so close, it was certainly fun to watch. I was proud of the guys for how much intensity they played with- it was refreshing to see us constantly on the front foot for once. ECU deserves a ton of credit for what they've done this year, especially considering the amount of talent they graduated from last year's team. Justin Bourgeois was an absolute force for them and almost single-handedly kept them in the game. As their young players continue to develop, they will be back on top very soon."

Wake has the weekend off now as all make-up games have been played and it is their regularly scheduled CRL bye weekend. Next Saturday they will play Appalachian State, with a victory essentially assuring the Demon Deacons of a spot in the South playoffs.

Wake Lineup vs ECU

1. Nick Conte, So. (Devin Henry, Jr. @ 55)
2. Sal Scifo, Fr. (Hunter Lostan, Jr. @ 15)
3. Ken Forte, Sr.
4. Ross Hilton, Sr.
5. Christian Jewett, Sr.
6. Ty Pierce, Fr.
7. Trent Justice, Sr.
8. Jeff Millar, So. (Justen Robinett, So. @ 50)
9. Mike Duffy, Sr.
10. Brendan Shea, So.
11. Will Hank, So.
12. David Sage, Sr.
13. Perry Salvagne, Sr.
14. Tyler Vanston, So.
15. John McMurray, Fr. (Drew Mehrmann, Fr. @ 75)

Tries: Shea, Hank, Duffy 2, Sage, Lostan, Justice, Forte
Con: Hank 3