Five Dartmouth rugby players lock Nate Brakeley '12, wing Chris Downer '11, wing Victor Galson '11, wing Clark Judge '12 and center Will Lehmann '12 were named to the USA Rugby Men's National College Academic Honor Roll, released on July 1. The five players represented the largest group of players from a single university to make the Honor Roll, according to the team's website.
"We are fortunate we get to coach such smart, hard-working guys," head coach Alex Magleby said.
The honor roll is a new initiative this year, instituted to recognize both academic and athletic strength, according to its website. To qualify, students needed to be First XV players, in addition to having cumulative grade point averages at or above 3.70.
First XV refers to the first 15 players on the field for the game, the equivalent of the varsity team, whose games count towards the team's record, according to Judge.
"Rugby [as a club sport] can not recruit the way that other Division I sports can," Lehmann said. "Dartmouth ruggers are guys who got in on their own merit and participated in many things already coming into college."
The high number of Dartmouth players reflects the high quality of students coming into Dartmouth, Lehmann said.
Judge agreed, saying that the rugby team has a culture that expects academic success.
"Most kids don't talk about how well they do, but it's kind of the normal thing to do," he said. "You don't feel weird going to the library on a Monday night."
Team members value "putting in 110 percent" to all their activities, not just rugby, according to Lehmann, as the team's culture tries "to promote being a leader both on and off the field," he said.
Judge said he tried to follow the example of several seniors who prioritized their academics and future careers when he first joined the team as a freshman.
"During the process [of balancing academics with athletics] you feel a bit bitter for not getting to do what everyone else is doing, but it is rewarding in the end when you see it all in perspective," Judge said.
Being a successful student-athlete presents a well-rounded image to future employers, Judge said, who is taking organic chemistry at Harvard University this summer to fulfill pre-med requirements, said. Amidst his studies, Judge will participate in a rugby tournament this coming weekend.
The USA College 7s Championship this spring was a particular test of players' diligence in both school and sports, according to Magleby and Judge.
Playing in the Championship meant that players had to take some finals early and others while at the competition, which meant that players missed out on enjoying the last weekend of spring term. However, playing in the championship "was such a cool experience," according to Judge.
Academics can also be a boon to rugby players' performance, according to Magleby. Having to cope with finals during the championship did reduce some of the pressure of thinking about the upcoming game and studying between matches helped reset mentally, Lehmann said.
"In an ideal world, you wouldn't have to deal with both [academics and athletics] at the same time, but [the distraction] is a positive that comes out of it," Magleby said. The players' academic recognition, though a testament to their individual efforts, also credits the flexibility of their professors and the accommodation of the athletic department working with the championship schedule, Magleby said.
Rugby team alumni have entered a wide variety of professions, including education, medicine, law, business, consulting and engineering, according to Magleby. Players have ambition, but "it is not like everyone is going into finance or non-profit," he said.
The structure sports provide to daily life may help players keep up with their academic work, Magleby said.
"You have to compartmentalize everything you set aside time from 4 to 6 or 7 for practice, and then from 8 o'clock on some nights you have to go to the library," Judge said, "You're sectioning off big chunks of time."
