Northeastern University Rugby Club
Encyclopedia
The Northeastern University Rugby Football Club (or NURFC or Maddogs) is a college rugby union
team representing Northeastern University, competing in East Coast Rugby Conference
and governed by USA Rugby
. The team competes in College Division I rugby, against the best college rugby teams in the Northeast.
The Northeastern Maddogs has approximately 70 members from all over the United States
, and from countries all over the world, including South Africa
, Ireland
, the United Kingdom
, France
, China
and Japan
. The Maddogs field a competitive team every year, and have been nationally ranked.
The NURFC competes in, and is an original member of, the East Coast Rugby Conference that was founded in 2011 during the USA Rugby college re-structuring.
athletic complex.
In 1985, the club became more organized as another key leader named Tony Kalaijakis emerged. Kalaijakis turned the rag-tag group into a team, under him the club drafted a constitution and elected leaders yearly. The team lobbied for school recognition, hoping to become an official Northeastern club, but was denied. Disappointed by the university's decision, but wishing to maintain a connection with the school, the team chose as its mascot, the MadDog; instead of the traditional mascot of Northeastern University, the Husky
.
In spring of 1987, aided by Northeastern University Professor Peter Eastman, the team became an official club of Northeastern. The club then hired its first coach, Jay Dacey of the Mystic River Rugby Club
. Competing in its first Beast of the East
Tournament, the Maddogs went undefeated and won the 1987 tournament. The following fall the Maddogs joined NERFU Division I and made the play-offs in their inaugural year.
The NURFC competed in New England Rugby Football Union
College Division I from 1987 to 2010, playing against teams such as Army
and Boston College
. Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale competed in NERFU until fall 2009, leaving to join the new Ivy League Conference. In 2011 Northeastern along with Boston College, UMass Amherst, University of Connecticut
, Middlebury College
, UAlbany, and Southern Connecticut State University
joined to form the East Coast Rugby Conference. In their inaugural season, Northeastern went undefeated and allowed an average of 4 points per game.
Rugby Tournament, and placed 2nd in 2007.
2009-2010 NERFU All-Stars: Mike Bruce (Number 8), Alex Throssel (Flanker
), Nick Smit (Fly-Half
)
2010-2011 New England DI Champions
2011-2012 East Coast Rugby Conference Champions (6-0)
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team representing Northeastern University, competing in East Coast Rugby Conference
East Coast Rugby Conference
The East Coast Rugby Conference was founded in 2011 after USA Rugby decided that college rugby teams would leave their local area unions and form independent conferences...
and governed by USA Rugby
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
. The team competes in College Division I rugby, against the best college rugby teams in the Northeast.
The Northeastern Maddogs has approximately 70 members from all over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and from countries all over the world, including South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The Maddogs field a competitive team every year, and have been nationally ranked.
The NURFC competes in, and is an original member of, the East Coast Rugby Conference that was founded in 2011 during the USA Rugby college re-structuring.
History
The club was founded by a Northeastern University student and rugby enthusiast named Bob Hubbard in 1984. He, along with 14 other students were the first team ever fielded by the Northeastern University Rugby Club. This first incarnation was not affiliated with Northeastern University, its only connection to the school was its players being students. The team's practices were held on a small triangle of dirt on Huntington Avenue across from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which is now the Wentworth Institute of TechnologyWentworth Institute of Technology
The Wentworth Institute of Technology is an independent, co-educational, technical design and engineering college located in Boston, Massachusetts...
athletic complex.
In 1985, the club became more organized as another key leader named Tony Kalaijakis emerged. Kalaijakis turned the rag-tag group into a team, under him the club drafted a constitution and elected leaders yearly. The team lobbied for school recognition, hoping to become an official Northeastern club, but was denied. Disappointed by the university's decision, but wishing to maintain a connection with the school, the team chose as its mascot, the MadDog; instead of the traditional mascot of Northeastern University, the Husky
Northeastern Huskies
The Northeastern University Huskies are the athletic teams representing Northeastern University. They compete in thirteen varsity team sports: men's and women's hockey ; men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's field hockey and volleyball, swimming, and men's and women's soccer , and...
.
In spring of 1987, aided by Northeastern University Professor Peter Eastman, the team became an official club of Northeastern. The club then hired its first coach, Jay Dacey of the Mystic River Rugby Club
Mystic River Rugby Club
The Mystic River Rugby Club is a New England Rugby Football Union club, founded in 1974, located in Malden, Massachusetts and Melrose, Massachusetts, who play Division 1 Rugby Union in the United States....
. Competing in its first Beast of the East
Beast of the East
The Beast of the East is the largest college rugby tournament in the world. In 2010, the 27th annual tournament, 84 college rugby teams participated in five divisions. The tournament is hosted by Providence Rugby Football Club on six rugby fields at The Glen in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.- Past...
Tournament, the Maddogs went undefeated and won the 1987 tournament. The following fall the Maddogs joined NERFU Division I and made the play-offs in their inaugural year.
The NURFC competed in New England Rugby Football Union
New England Rugby Football Union
The New England Rugby Football Union is a stand-alone union for rugby union teams in New England.NERFU had been a local area union , and part of the Northeast Rugby Union , which is the governing body for three LAU's The New England Rugby Football Union (NERFU) is a stand-alone union for rugby...
College Division I from 1987 to 2010, playing against teams such as Army
Army Rugby Football Club
The Army Rugby Football Club was founded in 1961 and for over 40 years has been a leader in USA Collegiate Rugby. The Army Ruggers are West Point’s most winning team....
and Boston College
Boston College Rugby Football Club
The Boston College Rugby Football Club, or BCRFC, is a collegiate rugby union team that represents Boston College. It competes in the New England Rugby Football Union . Like other Boston College athletic teams, BC ruggers are called the Eagles...
. Dartmouth, Harvard, and Yale competed in NERFU until fall 2009, leaving to join the new Ivy League Conference. In 2011 Northeastern along with Boston College, UMass Amherst, University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
, UAlbany, and Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University is one of four state universities in Connecticut, and is located in the West Rock neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut...
joined to form the East Coast Rugby Conference. In their inaugural season, Northeastern went undefeated and allowed an average of 4 points per game.
Current Season
| Week | Team | Result | Record | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Connecticut | W 50-0 | 1-0 | 9/17/2011 |
| 2 | @ University of Massachusetts | W 11-0 | 2-0 | 9/24/2011 |
| 3 | Middlebury College | W 34-3 | 3-0 | 10/1/2011 |
| 4 | Boston College | W 30-8 | 4-0 | 10/9/2011 |
| 5 | @ University of Connecticut | W 50-6 | 5-0 | 10/15/2011 |
| 6 | Bye Week | - | - | - |
| 7 | @ University of Albany | W 51-10 | 6-0 | 10/29/2011 |
Recent Accomplishments
Winners of the 2005 & 2010 Beast of the EastBeast of the East
The Beast of the East is the largest college rugby tournament in the world. In 2010, the 27th annual tournament, 84 college rugby teams participated in five divisions. The tournament is hosted by Providence Rugby Football Club on six rugby fields at The Glen in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.- Past...
Rugby Tournament, and placed 2nd in 2007.
2009-2010 NERFU All-Stars: Mike Bruce (Number 8), Alex Throssel (Flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
), Nick Smit (Fly-Half
Rugby union positions
In the game rugby union, there are fifteen players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs . Depending upon the competition, there may be up to eight replacement players. Early games consisted primarily of forwards that attacked plus a handful of "tends" that played back in defence...
)
2010-2011 New England DI Champions
2011-2012 East Coast Rugby Conference Champions (6-0)