BYU Rugby
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| Union | USA Rugby |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | BYU Cougars |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Location | Provo, Utah |
| Ground(s) | South Field |
| Coach(es) | David Smyth |
| League(s) | 1-A |
| Official website | |
| www |
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The Brigham Young University men's rugby team participates in USA Rugby's Varsity Cup Championship. Previously they participated in the College Premier Division, winning the 2009 and 2012 D1-A National Championship. More recently, BYU has won all three championships in the history of the Varsity Cup (2013, 2014, and 2015), defeating rival powerhouse Cal each time.
The Brigham Young University Rugby team was founded by John Seggar in 1962 while a student. In 1967, after graduating from BYU, Seggar became Head Coach of the newly formed program, a position he held on and off for 15 seasons.
In the 1980s, players David Smyth, Mark Ormsby, and Dean Ormsby helped build up the BYU Rugby team to compete in national playoffs. However they were never able to advance past the quarterfinal round.
In 1987, the National Collegiate Tournament changed the schedule of playing from Friday-Saturday to Saturday-Sunday. This change in schedule and the team's affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kept them from competing for a national championship because they would not compete on Sundays. The change in the championship format also led Seggar to retire as the head coach.
Over the next few years, BYU Rugby continued to participate in regular season matches, but they participated in no post-season. David Smyth, Mark Ormsby, and Dean Ormsby acted as co-coaches, but they seemed unable to capture the zeal that Coach Seggar had inspired among his players. While under Smyth, Ormsby, and Ormsby the team never finished above .500. The three passed the program on to Vernon Heperi, the new BYU dean of students, who would later become the head coach.
After a temporary stay in the United Kingdom, Smyth returned to Utah in 1991 and once again assumed coaching responsibilities at BYU. Smyth left for the second time in 2002.
In 2004, USA Rugby returned post-season tournament play to a Friday-Saturday format, and BYU Rugby began playing again in the national tournament.
Under Head Coach Jared Akenhead — who took over from Smyth as head coach in 2002 — the BYU Rugby team made it to the national collegiate playoffs. Several of his players received All-American awards and National Team selection honors.
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