Loyola College Rugby Football Club

The Loyola College Rugby Football Club or LCRFC is the men's rugby union team that represents Loyola College in the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union. The club is comprised of over 50 student/athletes, alumni-volunteer and professional trainers. The team plays year around, and though it does not tote the same identity as the other Division I sports on campus, the prestige is uncanny.

History
Founded in 1976 by a group of dedicated Loyola students, LCRFC continues to be the oldest and most active club sport at the college.

The beginningss were humble and due to lack of monitary support, the club almost was disbanned until 1979 when a strong group of students decided to carry on. Once they finally assumed the title of club sport, the college began granting them funding. This allowed them to hire their first coach, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Loc Vetter. citation needed Since this time LCRFC and its players have gained many titles and respect, including All-American titles, and US Rugby rankings.

The greyhound ruggers now compete in the Mid Atlantic Football Rugby Union, and have travelled abroad to play Irish teams, including teams in Limerick, Dublin, and Cork.

Traditionally, the team has done all of its recruiting amongst incoming freshman. They hold open tryouts, and take 15 promising freshman each year. Since the growth of the organization, however, LCRF has done its best to recruit or attract players out of the senior year in high school. Recruits are likely to come from schools with respected rugby programs. The most popular schools freshman come from are, Jesuit, Xavier, Loyola -Blakefield, Gonzaga, Georgetown Prep, De la Salle, John Carroll, and Bishop Shanahan.

Community service & religious affiliation
Players are required to have a certain number of community service hours and have mandatory mass.

Facilities
LCRFC has never had an official field. Practices are typically held at the Diane Geppi Aikens Field, and homegames are usually scheduled around what other teams are playing during the weekends (ie Soccer in the fall and Lacrosse in the spring). Since Loyola's announcement to build a new Intercollegiate athletics complex, the rugby team's future venue was undecided. With lots of fundraising and alumni donations, LCRFC was able to acquire one of the practice fields at the new, currently underconstruction, athletic complex. It will be named Sean Lugano Memorial Field after Sean Lugano 95', a former LCRFC rugby player who died in the attacks on 9/11.

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