University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Michigan) is a public institution that was founded in 1817. Michigan ranked #25 in National Universities in the 2020 edition of the US News & World Report’s Best Colleges and boasts one of the best college towns in the country. At Michigan, students have the opportunity to work with world-renowned faculty and outside of class and get involved in literally hundreds of clubs, groups, and organizations covering a variety of social, cultural, and academic interests. There is truly something for everyone here.
Rugby took shape on campus in the late 1800’s and is notably the focus of the Michigan Daily’s first printing. As the sport morphed into American football, rugby faded from campus until its revival in 1959. Spearheaded by Bert Sugar, Michigan rugby returned to claim a 10-0 victory over the University of Toronto. As other Midwestern teams formed, competition grew and U of M rose as a prominent team in the region. The team won 65% of their games through the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, produced multiple USA representatives, and won multiple Big Ten championships.
As the American collegiate rugby landscape continued to change into the 2000’s and 2010’s, the Michigan men’s team experienced a variety of success as it built towards its current place as a top 25 team in the country. The team comprises over 60 players in a variety of majors, many in engineering. International tours are an important part of team culture with recent trips to Mexico, England, and Cuba. The team also prides itself on work in the community, garnering service work awards from the University.
The Michigan women’s team is also striving to build a name for themselves. A club sport on campus as well, they compete in the Div 1 Big East League with a committed group of coaches and players. In 2011, the Wolverine women successfully made it to the USA Rugby D1 Sweet Sixteen and in 2015 sent two players to Greeley, CO for a high performance camp in the Olympic 7s pathway. Megan Melton (‘17) and Alena Olsen (‘18) were two of the top twenty college 7s players in America invited to the August National All-Star Competition (NASC) hosted by USA Rugby.
With In-State Tuition and fees: $15,558 and Out of State Tuition and fees: $51,200, Michigan is a great option for those looking for a great traditional college experience at a top notch academic institution.
Website: www.umich.edu Undergraduate Enrollment: 30,318 Average Class Size: 47% of classes have less than 20 students Average GPA: 3.86 Middle 50% SAT (All Sections): Math: 670-780; Reading and Writing: 660-730 Middle 50% ACT: 30-34 Admission Deadline: Early Application Nov 1, Regular Application Feb 1 Acceptance Rate: 23% Men’s Rugby Team Website: http://www.mrugby.com/ Men’s Rugby Recruiting Link: http://www.mrugby.com/recruiting-questionnaire/ Men’s Head Coach: Brandon Sparks sparksbr@umich.edu Women’s Rugby Team Website: http://www.umwrfc.com/ Extra: Michigan Men’s Rugby competes in the Collegiate Rugby Championship
Information edited from University of Michigan’s website, University of Michigan men’s & women’s rugby website, CollegeData.com and US News World Report.
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