A Brief History of Xavier Rugby
Xavier rugby was founded by Xavier football coach Tom O'Hara '69 in 1976. In an attempt to improve the Xavier football program, Athletic Director Jack Galbraith decided to follow the model of New York City football powerhouse St.Francis Prep and add rugby to its off-season program. Having been introduced to rugby while attending the US Merchant Marine Academy, O'Hara jumped at the chance to start a program at Xavier. The boys chose to call themselves the Outlaws and the team was born. Wins in the first few years were few and far between as the Xavier students had to play almost all of their matches against men's clubs and collegiate teams. But the wins did come, the students kept coming, and rugby became established as one of the most popular sports on 16th Street.
The addition of O'Hara's Monmouth RFC teammate Nigel Milton in 1981 marked the beginninmg of a new chapter in the club's rich history. Nigel Milton brought his experience as a rugby player in England and a take-no-prisoners attitude to coaching the young Americans. Nigel transferred his rugby knowledge and high standarsd of fitness and play to his players and the team began a quick rise into the elite circles of American high school rugby, culminating with the team's first East Coast Championships in 1984 & 1985 and first National Championship in 1985 - a nailbiting 7-6 victory over Highland HS of Utah, played on the Mall in Washington, DC. 1985 also marked the team's recognition as a full-fledged varsity sport and the end of the Outlaw moniker.
After Coach Milton left Xavier to return to England, Mike Tolkin '85 took over the coaching reins - first as an assitant to Jim Borland and then as head coach in 1987. During Tolkin's 26 years as head coach, the club rose to prominance as one of the top high school teams in America, winning 19 regional championships and 3 more National Championships, in 1993, 2007, and 2010, and producing more than 30 High School, U19, U20, Collegiate and Men's National Team players. More recently, Tolkin coached the USA Men's National Team from 2012-2015. Since Tolkin's departure, the team has been ably led by Head Coach Greg Norris, who has kept up the team's high standards and national prominence.
Team Honors by Year1984 - East Coast Champions & 4th at Nationals
1985 - East Coast & National Champions 1986 - East Coast Champions 1987 - 2nd at East Coast 1988 - 2nd at East Coast & 7th at Nationals 1989 - East Coast Champions & 3rd at Nationals 1990 - 3rd at East Coast 1991 - 2nd at East Coast & 4th at Nationals 1992 - East Coast Champions & 4th at Nationals 1993 - East Coast & National Champions 1994 - East Coast Champions & 3rd at Nationals 1995 - 3rd at East Coast & 11th at Nationals 1996 - 2nd at East Coast & 5th at Nationals 1997 - East Coast Champions & 2nd at Nationals 1998 - East Coast Champions & 7th at Nationals 1999 - 3rd at East Coast 2000 - East Coast Champions & 4th at Nationals 2001 - East Coast Champions & 3rd at Nationals 2002 - East Coast Champions & 4th at Nationals 2003 - NRU Champions & 8th at Nationals 2004 - NRU Championss & 2nd at Tier B Nationals 2005 - NRU Champions & 4th at Tier B Nationals 2006 - NRU Champions & 4th at Tier B Nationals 2007 - NRU & Tier B National Champions 2008 - NRU Champions & 5th at HS Nationals 2009 - NRU Champions & 3rd at HS Nationals 2010 - NRU Champions & HS National Champions 2011 - NRU Champions & 2nd at HS Nationals 2012 - 3rd at HS Nationals 2013 - RugbyNY Champions & 3rd at HS Nationals 2014 - RugbyNY Champions & 4th at Nationals 2015 - RugbyNY Champions & 5th at Nationals 2016 - RugbyNY Champions & 3rd at Nationals 2017 - RugbyNY Champions & 6th at Nationals 2018 - RugbyNY Champions and 4th at Nationals 2019 - RugbyNY Champions and 5th at Nationals 2020 - Season ended early by pandemic. Team ranked national #1 HS by Goffrugbyreport.com when season suspended. 4 National Championships 12 East Coast Championships 9 NRU Championships 7 RugbyNY Championships *Note - NRU Championship replaced the East Coast Championship in 2003. The NRU Championship ended in 2011. |
Individual USA HonorsThomas Burns - USA U19, 2000
Marco Caramanico - Robert Caridi - USA U19, 2004 Bryan Carley – USA U17, 2012 Sean Carley – HSAA, 2010 Pat Coleman – USA U17, 2009; HSAA 2010 ©; USA U20, 2011 Sean Coleman - USA U20, 2016 Joe Corrado – HSAA, 2011 Edward Cullen - USA U19, 2005 Dom DeFalco - Collegiate All-American, 2014 Mathew DeSario - USA U19, 1997 Matthew Donahue - USA U19, 1999 Matthew Frank - USA U19, 1997 John Gearity – HSAA, 2010 Robert Guaneri - USA U19 Matthew Hickey - USA U19, 1994 Mike Juzszak – USA U17 2008; USA U19, 2009; USA U20, 2010 Strati Katapotis – USA U19, 1994 Seamus Kelly – USA U17, 2008; USA U19, 2009; Collegiate All-American 2011-12; USA Eagle 2012-15 Thomas Lee - USA U19 Michael Lugano - USA U19, 1996 Sean Lugano – USA U19 1991; Collegiate All-American, 1995 Brendan Lunny - USA U19, 2001 Daniel Lunny - USA U19, 2005 Jack Manzo - USA HSAA U-17, 2016 Michael Maruffi – USA U19, 1998 Eamonn Mathews - HSAA, 2015; USA U20 2017 Chris Mattina - USA Men's National 7s team 2018 Cameron McFeely – HSAA, 2010 Ryan McTiernan - USA U19, 2007-08; USA U20, 2009; USA Select XV, 2010 Damien Morely - Felix Mullen - USA U19, 1997 Brendan Murphy – HSAA, 2010 Patrick Murtagh - HSAA, 2019 Ken Nikaido - USA U19 Brian O’Grady – USA U-19, 1992 Kevin Olsen – USA U19, 2000 Andrew Palmer - USA U19, 1999 Mike Petri - USA U19 2001, 2002 (cpt., 2002); Collegiate All-American 2003-06 (cpt., 2006); USA MNT 2007-2015. Jamie Prosser – USA U19, 1994 Brian Rivera – USA U19, 2002 Henri Ross-Pelat - Nathan Salter - Connor Sweet - HSAA (7s), 2013 Jimmy Wolfer - HSAA, 2013 |