Read first-hand accounts from players (current and previous) about what UGA Rugby has meant to them, and how it’s impacted their lives – not just during college, but beyond.
If you’re a current student, alumni, or family member who’d like to share your story here, please let us know via this form.
Obum Imonugo, class of 2019
I’m very lucky that I was able to find both the sport of rugby and the supporting club at Georgia, so the phrase “life-changing” is the best way to describe what UGA rugby was/is to me. Georgia rugby has provided so much for me. It provided me with brothers that I knew I could lean on as I navigated through my college journey. It provided me with guidance via the many great coaches/leaders I had the honor to play for and learn from, including Jesse Posnansky, Larry Doong, and Jay Mathias. Forever grateful for these men. It engraved a refined sense of discipline on and off the pitch that I carry with me every day. This discipline makes me conscientious of invaluable principles such as hard work, dedication, commitment, and the fact that you get out what you put in. In turn I’ve been blessed with many rewards of the game over the years, including becoming a USA rugby D1 15s national champion with the Dallas Reds.
Brian Radcliff, class of 2019
As a young Freshman who chose attending my dream school over spinning my wheels playing D3 football, UGA Rugby gave me the chance to scratch the competitive itch without sacrificing the academics, culture, and social life that drew me to Georgia in the first place. Alternating my Saturdays in Athens between playing matches and watching the Dawgs in Sanford was an unreal experience. At Georgia, I knew that my coaches cared about me as more than just a player and had my personal and professional development at heart. This level of balance is rare and played a large role in my continued love for the game, which has only led to more opportunities. Four years later, I graduated from Georgia having made lifelong friends and unforgettable memories with the team. But it didn’t stop there. Rugby gave me the opportunity to move to China as a founding member of a new club during COVID. And when restrictions started to tighten there, rugby again gave me the chance to escape to Hong Kong where I had the opportunity to play semi-professionally, with and against countless current and former professionals and national team representatives, all the while traveling Asia and making friends from all over the world. 10 years from my first Tuesday night at IM field 1, I can look back and say that the entire course of my life changed that day. I’m grateful to my teammates and coaches at UGA for opening me up to not just an incredible sport, but a whole world of opportunity and experiences that I never would’ve imagined otherwise. As always, Go Dawgs!
Garrett Davis, class of 2025
UGARFC changed my life forever. The team and coaches helped develop me as a rugby player and as a leader on and off the pitch. Through the club I got to experience rugby at a national level and was given opportunities I would not have had otherwise. Their incredible support helped me through undergrad and eventually entering graduate school.
Taye Olagunju (class of 2021)
UGA Rugby has meant the world to me. During college, the club helped me develop not only as a player, but as a leader and a person. If it weren’t for the club and my coaches, I would never have had the experience of joining an MLR team or representing my home country of Nigeria. I’m forever grateful and hope I can pay it forward!
Andrew Gu (class of 2025)
To say that UGA Rugby has made one of the most profound impacts on my life would be a severe understatement. All the way back during freshman orientation, I chose to take a risk and try a sport I had never played with people I had never met. What welcomed me was a community that never stopped being a family. The brothers I shared the pitch with became lifelong friends. The coaches I had the privilege to learn from taught me lessons that stayed with me well beyond the sport. Living by values like dependability and grit came from my experiences with this club, especially as the equipment manager. Through all this, if there had to be one lesson I am grateful to have taken away from UGA Rugby, it could be summed up in one word: support. Support for your prop who just went down. Support for your winger who just broke the defensive line. Support for a new teammate asking for help with his passing skills. Support for a friend who simply needs someone to talk to. Now, as an alum, my time with UGA Rugby continues to grow, and I could not be more grateful to this team for the experiences I have had and for those to come.
Spencer Sackett (class of 2018)
Playing rugby at UGA was easily the best decision I ever made at University. On top of the obvious benefits of sport — the camaraderie and athletic development — there were so many amazing things I could never have anticipated.
While at UGA I always had a support system whenever I needed something. My teammates helped me athletically, academically or even helping me with transportation when my car broke down. I was able to find great student jobs through those connections as well. The coaches, Jesse Posnansky and Larry Doong always cared about my personal development, not just the performance on the pitch. They provided support and structure at a time where life is changing rapidly.
Now that I am almost 10 years out of school, it still impacts me in ways I didn’t expect. The workout structure and discipline stayed with me and is a large reason I still stay in shape. I still see a lot of my old teammates every week and they are a core part of my life. And I recently became a father — I was able to get some great advice and support from my coach, Larry Doong and a lot of my former teammates are going to be “Uncles” to my baby girl.
My life is fuller for having played Rugby at UGA and I know I always have people in my corner even now. If you are thinking about playing, just do it.
Cameron “Zorro” Zahedi (class of 2015)
Joining the UGA Rugby team was one of the greatest decisions I ever made.
On the field, rugby brought a level of competition and intensity that I’d been sorely missing, both in college and beyond. Rugby has provided me with amazing opportunities like competing in the SCRC divisional playoffs with UGA and to traveling to Peru with an Atlanta Men’s team to play international matches.
The off-field experiences have been even more impactful. I built several life long friendships at UGA, which have continued well into my 30s. I’ve been a best man and even a wedding officiant for former UGA Ruggers, and I hope to continue showing up for these men in key milestones in their lives.
While at UGA, I was lucky to have several Club Leadership opportunities as well. The lessons I learned from leading my peers and from guidance from our coaching staff were instrumental in my development professionally and personally, and I often cite my experience as paving the way for a successful career in project management for some of the world’s biggest companies.
My time at UGA rugby was unforgettable, and continues to pay dividends in all aspects of my life. I’m so grateful for my experience, and hope to support future generations of UGA Ruggers for years to come! Go Dawgs!