It’s that time of year again, fellas. And this one’s a biggie! It’s the 10th anniversary of the National Championship. About this time 10 years ago, we were on our way to Virginia Beach to take on Arkansas State. And, as they say, the rest is history.

Help us celebrate in grand fashion by coming out en masse to this year’s festival. We’ve had great success in years past raising money and bridging the gaps between the classes. We need to step it up a notch this year, so dig out that old address book, hit up your Facebook friends, and find all the Baylor Rugby Alumni you can.

Labor Day weekend is September 2-4 this year. We’ll be doing the usual:

Friday

• Tailgating prior to football game (contact Connally McKay)

Saturday

• 11:00am Alumni match kickoff
• 11:00am-2:00pm BBQ Lunch for all attendees, family, friends and fans
• 8:00pm-?? Milk and Cookies and Alumni/Officers/Coaches meeting.

Friday night is the big TCU vs. Baylor football game in Waco, which will be nationally televised. If you’re going to the game, plan on meeting us at the Association & Officer meeting. If you’re not going to the game, plan to join us for dinner.

Also, because of this game, we HIGHLY recommend you book your hotel now. Rooms are filling up fast. We do not have a block of rooms, but most of us are staying at the Hilton.

We’ll have more info about locations and other events, as well as some additional details about the 10-year anniversary celebration, soon.

If you have any stories photos or video (PG, please) from the 2000-2001 season, please contact Brian Dusablon.

Special guest: Dr. John Blakeman, one of our coaches during the 2001 National Championship season, will ref our match.

Baylor beat UD 17-0 on February 6th, defeated Angelo State 37-10 on February 13th, then finished off the regular season by defeating UNT 32-13 this past weekend.

Baylor will play Texas State on Saturday, February 27th in San Marcos, TX. Any support you could provide would be great!

The Texas Collegiate Division II Championships are slated for 4pm and 6pm Saturday, with the final on Sunday afternoon at 1pm. Come support Baylor Rugby!

Field was soft but dry. Temperature about 60 degrees, but windy, as it tends to be in that part of Texas. The final score in this match does not reflect the high level of competition. Although Baylor outscored ASU 20-0 in the first half, there were long periods of time when the game was evenly played in almost all phases. However, Baylor made some nice breaks, and was able to capitalize once they made it deep into the Rams’ end of the field. ASU had chances also, but could not convert them into points. The Baylor back line executes well. Angelo State did an excellent job of tackling the Baylor backs. After a series of movements going, and strong play, Angelo State scored a try only two minutes into the second half. The second half was even more competitive; Baylor outscored ASU in the second half, 17-10. It was an enjoyable game, and both teams played well.

Referee report:

Pitch was dry. Cloudy, with a some light raindrops. The rain was negligible, and had no effect on the match except to cool the participants. Baylor was stronger in both the scrum and in the back line. The Baylor scrum was stronger than the St. Edwards team. However, the Baylor back line’s superiority made the biggest impact on the play. They supported each other, passed crisply, with few knock-on’s, and exhibited good speed. The St. Edwards side fought gamely throughout; they never gave up, and exhibited good instincts and potential. This was their first game of the spring season. The tenor of the game was competitive, with good sportsmanship all around.

The Baylor Rugby Association and the Alumni Festival were featured in a recent Baylor Line article.

In fact, former Baylor players love the sport so much that they formed a group to help them stay connected—the Baylor Rugby Association. Incorporated in 2003, the association is composed of former teammates, including president Zachary Oliphant ’02 and co-vice presidents Brian Dusablon ’01 and Kenneth Johnson ’01, who also act as secretary and treasurer, respectively. “The association came about as a way to give back to an organization that meant a lot to all of us and our teammates while we were in school,” Oliphant said.

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