Returning in full force for our first season following the pandemic, Slugby came back with a bang. Beginning with fewer than 10 returning players, our Women’s Rugby team put together a roster of 30 incredible students and placed 2nd in the West Coast Rugby Conference for the first time in 15 years! Our Men’s Rugby team also finished 2nd in the Pacific Western Conference, ranked #26 in the nation D1AA 15s, and tied for 5th in the nation at the USA Rugby 7s championships!
This fall rugby is off to a hot start! The Women’s Rugby team has over 50 new students learning the game. To push ourselves to become the scrappiest, most passionate rugby players possible, we are preparing for five pre-season tournaments and scrimmages. Off the field, we have pledged to immerse ourselves in a sport dedicated to inclusivity, acceptance, and community.
Building on their great performance last year, the Men’s Rugby team is transitioning to compete in the D1A California conference for the first time and will be facing fierce new competition throughout California. With this fall’s strong recruitment, the team plans to field an experienced and developmental 15s team throughout the season.
The Men’s and Women’s Rugby teams remain committed to raising funds for our club through outreach, volunteer work, and merchandise sales. However, we rely on the generosity of alumni, family, and friends for the majority of our needs.
Your support enables us to practice with quality equipment, travel across California and Nevada, host 15-team tournaments at UCSC, record and broadcast matches, engage in pre-season and post-season competitions, and compete at the highest possible level! Your donations not only ensure that both teams can compete at the top of their game, but also increase player recruitment and retention by decreasing financial barriers to participation.
Inspired by the collaborative history of the UCSC Men’s and Women’s Rugby Club origin stories, we are now taking a unified, equitable approach to rugby fundraising. To that end, we created a joint foundation account that can support the needs of both teams. This new equitable funding paradigm puts rugby first and ensures that both teams have similar opportunities and experiences.
To meet the travel, equipment, and recruitment needs for the upcoming rugby season, our goal is to raise $40,000 for both teams in the 2022–23 season. With your support, we can continue to push Slugby to the top of college rugby.
The most beautiful part of rugby is its enduring community of past and present players, coaches, and supporters. Together, we can gather the funds to support the UCSC Rugby Club the same way we always do — as a team.
Go Slugs!
Rank | State | Gifts |
---|---|---|
1 | CA | 88 |
2 | WA | 5 |
3 | MD | 3 |