Maryland Exiles
Encyclopedia
The Maryland Exiles is an American rugby union
team in Bethesda, Maryland
that competes as a member of Division I, Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) under the USA Rugby
governing body. The team fields both a standard 15-man squad and seven-a-side
squad. The team has competed abroad in England
, Sri Lanka
, and the Cayman Islands
. The Maryland Exiles have been featured in the Washington Post, The Virginian-Pilot
, International Rugby News, and on the cover of Rugby Magazine.
The Exiles were formed in 1993 by the amalgamation of three local area clubs: the Maryland Old Boys, Montgomery County Rugby Club, and the Old Red Rugby Club. The fifteens squad placed third in the Aspen Ruggerfest, the United States' premier fifteen-man tournament, in 1996. In 1996, 1997, and 2007, the Exiles advanced to the Sweet Sixteen round of the National Club Championship. In United States' National Club Sevens Championship, the Exiles have placed second (1994 and 2002) and third (2003, 2005, and 2006). The Maryland Old Boys, from which the Exiles were partially formed, won the National Club Sevens in 1989, placed third in 1991 and 1992, and placed third in 1988 and 1990.
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 in Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
that competes as a member of Division I, Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) under the 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...
governing body. The team fields both a standard 15-man squad and seven-a-side
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
squad. The team has competed abroad in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, and the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
. The Maryland Exiles have been featured in the Washington Post, The Virginian-Pilot
The Virginian-Pilot
The Virginian-Pilot is a daily newspaper based in Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, southeastern Virginia, the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and northeastern North Carolina. The flagship property of Landmark Media Enterprises, The Pilot is Virginia's largest daily...
, International Rugby News, and on the cover of Rugby Magazine.
The Exiles were formed in 1993 by the amalgamation of three local area clubs: the Maryland Old Boys, Montgomery County Rugby Club, and the Old Red Rugby Club. The fifteens squad placed third in the Aspen Ruggerfest, the United States' premier fifteen-man tournament, in 1996. In 1996, 1997, and 2007, the Exiles advanced to the Sweet Sixteen round of the National Club Championship. In United States' National Club Sevens Championship, the Exiles have placed second (1994 and 2002) and third (2003, 2005, and 2006). The Maryland Old Boys, from which the Exiles were partially formed, won the National Club Sevens in 1989, placed third in 1991 and 1992, and placed third in 1988 and 1990.
Notable players
- Inaki BasauriInaki BasauriInaki Basauri is a Mexican-born American rugby union player.-Career:Basauri first started playing rugby when he was 15 and was invited to a practice by his friend.Inaki graduated from Walt Whitman High School in 2002. Throughout High School, he played sevens rugby with the Maryland Exiles in the...
, EaglesUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
2007 - Will Brewington, Eagles SevensUnited States national rugby union teamUSA Rugby's men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Eagles, represents the United States in the sport of rugby union. The Eagles are currently ranked 17th by the IRB World Rankings. Their highest ranking was from November 2, 2006 – September 10, 2007 at the 14th position...
1987–1993 - Joe Fradella, Eagles Sevens 2004
- Brian Gallagher, Eagles Sevens 1997
- Eddie Galpin, Eagles Sevens 2001
- James Gillenwater, Eagles Sevens 2007, All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n at VanderbiltVanderbilt UniversityVanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the... - Kevin Gittings, Eagles Sevens 1998
- Vince Granger, Eagles Sevens 1989
- Bill HaywardBill Hayward (rugby union)Bill Hayward is a former rugby union international who represented United States of America in 1991.-Early life:Bill Hayward studied at Loughborough University and was a member of the Loughborough Students RUFC.-Rugby union career:...
, Eagles 1991 - Steve Laake, All-American at Loyola College
- Owen LentzOwen LentzOwen Lentz is an American rugby union player. He currently plays for Maryland Exiles, and has been involved with the American national side, gaining 4 caps since his debut in 2006. Lentz plays as a hooker or occasionally as flanker....
, Eagles 2006–2007 - Justin Lucas, All-American at Cal PolyCalifornia Polytechnic State UniversityCalifornia Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
- Mark Miller, Eagles Sevens 1994
- Chris Petrakes, Eagles Sevens 1987
- Dave Ries, Eagles Sevens 1998
- Tom Sanders, Eagles Sevens 2004, All-American at VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
- Jeff Soeken, All-American at MarylandUniversity of MarylandWhen the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
- Don Younger, Eagles Sevens 1997–2002, All-American at IndianaIndiana UniversityIndiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...