Lindenwood Lions - Club Sports - Men's Rugby

Men's Rugby

Main article: Lindenwood Lions men's rugby

Lindenwood announced in January 2011 the additions of men's and women's rugby to begin competition in the 2011-12 academic year. Lindenwood rugby was launched as one of the few varsity college rugby programs in the United States, and the program also provided scholarship funding for its student athletes. The team is coached by former USA Eagle player Ron Laszewski. The Lindenwood men's team won the 2012 USA Rugby Division II national championship. The team moved up to the Division I-AA level following the 2011-12 season, and competes in the Heart of America Rugby Conference.

Lindenwood began play in USA Rugby Division II level in the Missouri Rugby Football Union (Missouri RFU), and in its first season Lindenwood played a mixed schedule of both Division II conference games and some non-conference games against Division I schools. The team played its first game in program history on September 4, 2011 in an exhibition match against the St. Louis Bombers RFC, and won by a score of 21-12. The program earned its first official win against a college opponent by defeating Kansas 47-10 on September 10, 2011. The team finished the fall 2011 regular season 11-0 and won the Missouri RFU Championship. The team then went on a 4-0 run in the postseason to win the 2012 Division II West Region playoffs, the USA Rugby Midwest Regional Championship The Lions advanced to the USA Rugby DII Final Four and defeated #4 ranked Utah Valley 57-10 in the semifinals and #3 ranked Salisbury 50-12 to win the USA Rugby DII National Championship. Lindenwood became the first men's rugby program to win a collegiate national championship in its first year of existence.

The Lions were promoted to Division I-AA for the 2012-13 season. Lindenwood defeated Kansas State 98-5 in their first conference match as a member of the Heart of America. Lindenwood then clinched the 2012 Heart of America 7s tournament, defeating Missouri in the semifinals and Arkansas in the final 21-5, and earning automatic qualification to the 2012 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships. Lindenwood finished the 2012-13 season as champions of the Heart of America conference, going undefeated in conference play. Lindenwood reached the finals of the USA Rugby Division I-AA national playoffs, losing to Central Florida.

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