The Seattle University men’s rugby team is beginning to make a name for themselves. Now in their 11th season as a club, playing in competitive leagues against the top competition in the Northwest has augmented the spirit of the team, and the strength of the program. Rugby at Seattle U has taken off under the leadership of president Sebastian Pronin and guidance of new head coach Aaron Fry. The squad is the biggest it’s been in recent years, and the attitude of the players has shown in their dedication to gather more support from the school and gain publicity on campus.

“Playing every single weekend now in the fall gets people more motivated to come out to play,” Pronin said.

Being a part of the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference means there is plenty of action to be had throughout the Pacific Northwest, as Seattle U faces off against several schools in the area.

Credit for the team’s flying start this season has to be given to Fry, who Pronin describes as a very important aspect to the side’s confidence and tactical prowess. After playing collegiately at the University of Wisconsin, Fry had a spell at Dungannon Rugby Club in Northern Ireland. The experience and training methods that Fry has brought to the pitch, along with a playbook that is the club’s first since its founding in 2005, has been instrumental to the rugby team’s recruitment of new players, according to Pronin.

“He definitely has brought a lot of experience, especially for the forward positions, which we didn’t get a lot of last year,” Pronin said. “This year we have a lot drills that have a progression where we put those tactics that we just learned in motion.”
Pronin spent his summer heading out to freshman orientation in hopes of adding new members to the club, and after advertising at Cherry Street Market, feels that the appreciation for rugby at Seattle U is on the rise.

“The past administration [of rugby players] has built a program where I can, as president, build up more from the base that we have already. With the coaching, with the leagues that we’re in, these things can give us more leverage for the school to recognize us,” Pronin said.

This past weekend, a Northwest Cup Sevens Tournament was held in Bend, Ore. that saw Seattle U earn a bowl victory against Willamette University by a score of 17-12. Seattle U hopes to build off their result in Bend with home games against Central Oregon Community College and The University of Puget Sound.

Chaucer may be reached at [email protected]