More than 150 alumni, players and parents took part in the University of South Carolina Rugby Alumni Weekend November 12-13.
The festivities, which included the annual alumni game, Friday and Saturday night celebrations and a club game against the University of Alabama, was the largest and most well-received event in recent memory.
While alumni weekend traditionally serves as a rally point for old teammates to rekindle friendships, this year’s gathering was special as it marked the successful conclusion of the Carolina Coaching Initiative. Launched in July, the effort raised more than $80,000 to hire the program’s first paid coach: John Roberts, a member of the Class of 1990. Roberts, who was onboarded as a University of South Carolina employee November 15, won three national championships while coaching at Furman University. “We have opened a new chapter in Carolina Rugby history,” said Robert Balmer, Chairman of the Carolina Rugby Foundation. “This weekend we celebrated the successful conclusion of the coaching campaign and we set the table for future projects. Our rugby alumni, parents, players and friends have never been more excited or optimistic about our program.”
