Santa Clara Men’s Rugby

Players returned to campus this past Thursday night and went through a weekend of practices prior to beginning classes on Monday in anticipation of their first match against UC Santa Cruz this upcoming Saturday.  With several players returning from abroad, the team used the weekend to take advantage of multiple practices on the field, classroom sessions with the coaches, and strength and conditioning workouts.  A side kickoff is scheduled for 1PM this Saturday on Bellomy field.  The players are eager to begin non-league play and look forward to the opportunity this Saturday afternoon!

The Santa Clara Athletic Department and Bronco Bench Foundation host pre-game Bistros for every Men’s Basketball game and part of the evening consists of a visit from one of the school’s varsity athletic programs.  The Cable Car Classic is currently underway and the SCUTS were given the opportunity to visit with many alumni and donors to the athletic department prior to the game.  The team discussed this upcoming season and the excitement within the program regarding the new structure with Paul Keeler and Jone Naquica coaching the team.  Athletic Director Dan Coonan and Assistant Athletic Director Rusty Weekes praised the team for their commitment and how proud they were of the efforts put in by the players this fall both on and off the field  Their announcement of the match to be played in Buck Shaw Stadium Friday night February 17 generated excited amongst the group gathered this evening and many were eager to hear of this season.

The SCUTS would like to thank all family, friends, and alumni for their continued support. We look forward to seeing many of you during the course of the season and as always, Go SCUTS!  Happy Holidays and best wishes!

The SCUTS announced their 2012 schedule this week and once again look forward to a competitive non-league set of games as they prepare to compete with Stanford, Sacramento State, and Chico State when league play begins in February.  The SCUTS will open their season at home on Bellomy Field on Saturday January 14 against UC Santa Cruz.  League play begins Friday night February 17 against Stanford in what promises to be an exciting opportunity.  With the continued support of the Athletic Department and school administration, the SCUTS will compete in Buck Shaw Stadium as the game will be a part of Spirit Week on the Sana Clara campus.  There will be more information to follow in the next week about this match, but for now, the team is working hard over Winter Break and is eager to reconvene in January and continue their efforts on what will be an exciting year for the SCUTS!

In an effort to continue pushing forward and bringing the SCUTS to further prominence, the team has altered its coaching structure. Paul Keeler was recently named Director of Coaching.

Paul’s resume includes playing and coaching for the Old Blue RFC of New York. In his years with Old Blue, he played in four playoff experiences and during his tenure as coach, he led both the Division 1 and Super League Teams to playoff berths.

Paul also has experience working with the USA National Team where he was head coach of the USA side that competed in the Americans Rugby Championship in 2010.

Most recently, Paul has served as Director of Rugby and Head Coach of San Francisco Golden Gate RFC where he has been since 2008. In the past three seasons, the Super League team has competed in the national championship each year, winning two of those three championships. His enthusiasm, passion, knowledge of the game, and past coaching experiences have the team eager to prove itself as a team to be reckoned with in Division 1 rugby!

“I am very excited to become a part of Santa Clara Rugby. The support that the Athletic Department, school administration, and alumni have demonstrated for the team is extremely positive and the future looks bright. The game of rugby continues to grow and I look forward to continuing to guide the program in the right direction,” said Keeler.

Paul will be brining Jone Naqica, the most capped player in USA 7’s Rugby history, to serve as assistant coach. Jone’s talent and experiences as a player will provide the SCUTS with a great opportunity to learn from one of the best players in national team history as they move forward.

The program is excited about this upcoming season and its future. The 2011/2012 schedule has been finalized and we look forward to seeing family, friends, and fans of the SCUTS during the new year.