Name: Patricio Anduaga

Major: Computer Science

Year (rising): 4th

Position: Flyhalf

Hometown: Ashburn, VA

Tell us a brief story about a highlight of your time playing rugby.

Anduaga: It was the final tournament of my high school career. We made it to the championship match against Fort Hunt, historically one of the most dominant teams in the country who is known to poach players, including one of our own. Historically, this rivalry was one-sided for them, so I was half expecting things to turn out poorly. Moreover, I had tweaked my hamstring in an earlier match, so I wasn’t even sure if I could make it through the whole game. Nevertheless, we took the field determined to make a name for ourselves, and for some reason everything went right for us. It was the most complete and satisfying match I had ever been a part of, and I still remember the euphoric sensation I had when hearing that final whistle.

Name: Jillian Caughey

Major: Nursing

Year: Graduating

Position: Wing

Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia

What was one highlight of a previous global experience?

Caughey: I have been on a J-term to Prague and I loved how close I was able to get with my fellow classmates. It was an incredibly immersive experience that allowed me to learn so much about Czech culture and more about people at UVA.

Name: Carson Crenshaw

Major: Public Policy

Year: Graduate, Master's Degree

Position: 7s Prop/Hooker, 15s Flanker/Eightman

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Tell us a brief story about a highlight of your time playing rugby.

Crenshaw: Winning regionals against Florida my third year will always stand out as one of my favorite memories. It seemed like the perfect end to a very long season. I got to host team dinner at my family home the night before, it was one of the last times I got to play with some of my best friends who graduated that year, and I even scored once or twice during the match. While that is one time that I love to look back on, I will never forget the small moments like leading rugby songs my 4th year, celebrating birthdays with my co-captain at the rugby house, and going out to dinner with my friends after a great practice.

Name: Henry Duke

Major: Applied Statistics

Year (rising): Rising 5th

Position: Lock

Hometown: Henrico, VA

Tell us a brief story about a highlight of your time playing rugby.

Duke: In the summer of 2023, I was a part of the U.S. under 20 national rugby team on their trip to the u20 rugby world trophy in Nairobi, Kenya. The whole trip was an immense honor, being able to travel halfway across the globe in order to represent my country in the sport that I loved. The coaches tabbed me to start against our toughest opponent, Scotland. I’d say playing in that game was the highlight, I was an extremely intense and physical match. I remember the opening anthems being particularly emotional, especially hearing the Scottish anthem and thinking of my grandfather whose family immigrated from Scotland.

Name: Katherine Fines

Major: Cognitive Science

Year (rising): Graduated

Position: All of them

Hometown: Fredericksburg, VA

What drew you to this study abroad course?

Fines: I’m excited about the immersive cultural experience this study abroad opportunity will offer. Playing rugby in a new environment, especially one where the sport holds such deep cultural significance, will be an invaluable experience.

What was one highlight of a previous global experience?

Fines: The women's rugby team traveled to Ireland over spring break. It was amazing to be in a place where rugby is such a passionate part of the culture. Experiencing an atmosphere where the entire community is just as excited about the game as we are was unforgettable.

Name: Isabella Gega

Major: Commerce, Public Policy and Leadership Minor

Year (rising): 3rd

Position: Hooker

Hometown: Greenwich, CT

What are you most excited about on this trip?

Gega: I have never been to Africa, and therefore I am most excited about the culture shock and recognizing the differences between the US and South Africa. Being in an entirely new world will enable me to analyze the scope of the world and grow in a personal capacity.

Name: Kate Hobbs

Major: Kinesiology

Year (rising): 2nd year

Position: Fly half

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Tell us a brief story about a highlight of your time playing rugby.

Hobbs: During the fall season we traveled to Ohio for Regionals where we played Wheeling. This was by far my favorite game of the season because despite the tough competition and intensity we stayed very positive and supportive to each other instead of getting frustrated that the game wasn’t going our way. We played quality rugby and had a lot of fun at the same time and I think that says a lot about this team.

Name: Milena Keene

Major: Leadership & Public Policy, Global Studies (Global Environments & Sustainability track)

Year (rising): 4th

Position: Inside Center

Hometown: Santa Fe, NM

Will this be your first time or among your first few times traveling abroad?

Keene: It will be one of my first few times traveling abroad. This spring break we traveled to Ireland which was an amazing experience, and I am also originally born in Brazil which I have visited several times. However, those are my only experiences abroad. This program means the world to me because I am going to be able to learn about different cultures through rugby with some of my closest friends and teammates. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity because traveling is a privilege, and this trip will benefit my academic, personal, and athletic development.

Name: Tiger Lightfoot

Major: Media Studies, Politics (concentration in government), and a minor in data science

Year: 3rd

Position: Second row

Hometown: Norfolk, VA

What drew you to play rugby?

Lightfoot: When I got to UVA, I missed playing sports like I did in high school. A friend’s dad who’s from Scotland suggested rugby, and I gave it a shot. I ended up loving it—the physicality, the energy, and especially the strong community I found here within the game.

Name: Xavier Turner

Major: Aerospace Engineering and Computer Science

Year (rising): 2nd

Position: Any Forward position (minus lock)

Hometown: Midlothian, VA

Tell us a brief story about a highlight of your time playing rugby.

Turner: My favorite moment from any time I've played rugby was probably the state championship game against Fort Hunt my sophomore year. I was playing flanker at the time, and I was playing one of my best games of all time, primarily on defense, where I was shutting down the entire right side (of our field or their left). We had faced some difficult calls and a few cards, which made the game very gritty on our end where whoever played was really just putting their all into it. Unfortunately, we did lose, which was our first loss outside of tournaments, but I got to understand a lot more about rugby through this loss, primarily the team aspect. Although I was playing perfectly and stopping all momentum on one half, nobody is better than their team and just as one player falls it is up to others to pick them up. I feel like in later play I stopped playing on my own as much and started being more vocal to eliminate situations like this in the future.

Name: Xanni Brown

Major/Year: Postdoc at Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy

Position: Women's assistant coach and sevens coach (formerly, flyhalf)

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

What drew you to play rugby?

Brown: I found rugby accidentally in my first year of college, because it was next to the soccer team at the alphabetically organized club sports fair. I was drawn to it because I wanted a challenging sport that rewarded effort, and I stay because of the community it brought me on and off the field.

Tell us a brief story about a highlight of your time playing rugby.

Brown: One highlight of my rugby career was joining the Johannesburg Golden Lions while I was studying abroad during college. It instantly grounded me in a new place and helped me find community, and I learned a lot about rugby and life.

What drew you to this study abroad course?

Brown: I had the opportunity to study abroad in South Africa as a junior in college, and it was a really important experience for me, shaping how I think about politics, community, and sport. Now, I'm very excited to help students have their own experiences learning more about the world, South Africa, sports, and social change.