On March 19, 2021, alum and former front row Mike “Oak” O’Connell passed away at the age of 67 due to a prolonged illness. O’Connell grew up in Salinas California, where he attended Palma High School. He is also an alum of Hartnell College. In 1976 O’Connell transferred into Cal Poly where he played for Cal Poly Rugby Football Club …
After six unforgettable seasons with the Mustangs, head coach James Tesoriero bids his farewells as he transitions into his new career with Randwick Rugby Club of his native Sydney, Australia. Tesoriero, who has been guiding the Mustangs this season remotely through Zoom sessions and pre-recorded videos per local Covid-19 guidelines, officially stepped down from his role at the end of …
The “Mustangs in Major League Rugby” series features each of our three Cal Poly Rugby Club alum currently in the MLR. Up next: Nathan Sylvia for the San Diego Legion. Sylvia, a San Diego native like his teammate Patrick Madden, graduated from Cal Poly in 2017 earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science. During his time as a Mustang, Sylvia …
The “Mustangs in Major League Rugby” series features each of our three Cal Poly Rugby Club alum currently in the MLR. Up next: Max Tacket for the Houston Sabercats. Tacket, a San Luis Obispo native, graduated from Cal Poly in 2015 earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry and Natural Resources with a minor in Geographic Informations Systems. During one of …
The “Mustangs in Major League Rugby” series features each of our three Cal Poly Rugby Club alum currently in the MLR. The first article of this series visits the Mustang who most recently made the transition to the major league: Patrick Madden for the San Diego Legion. Madden, a San Diego native, is the first Cal Poly student in history …
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) graduate and former Mustangs rugby standout Shelby Robinett — who now works for the U.S. Forest Service as a crewmember of the Arroyo Grande Hotshots — is helping fight the El Dorado fire in the San Bernardino National Forest. Robinett, an environmental management and protection major who played with the Mustangs for three seasons and …
Senior fly-half Elena Strom has been selected as one of Cal Poly’s most influential women by the Cal Poly Women in Business Association. The honor recognizes women in the Cal Poly community who “are influencing and inspiring other women and are going above and beyond their job descriptions to change the world,” according to an association email release. Cal Poly’s …
Former Mustangs fly-half William “Bill” McKee passed away Sunday, May 10 after an extended battle with cancer. He was 67. As fly-half, Bill “Good Looking” McKee guided the Mustangs to the 1977 Santa Barbara championship, among a plethora of other matches during his fine career in a Cal Poly uniform. “He was a man of few words,” Director for Mustangs …
Mustang fly-half/inside center Patrick Madden has been drafted 12th overall by the San Diego Legion in the inaugural Major League Rugby draft held June 13. For Madden, it’s a long-standing dream finally becoming a reality. “Today, I was drafted by the San Diego Legion @sdlegion as a professional rugby player,” Madden wrote in an Instagram post. “I stepped onto a rugby pitch …
Former Cal Poly Rugby standout Alex Wormer and the Denver Barbarians 7s team have advanced to the USA Rugby Club 7s National Championship tournament. The tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo., August 10 and 11. The matches will be streamed live on FloRugby. (Paid subscription is required.) “I’m excited for the opportunity to go to Nationals with this …