Worcester Wildcats Rugby Makes Historic Varsity Debut
Worcester Wildcats Rugby Makes Historic Varsity Debut
Thanks to a 2023–24 grant from USA Youth and High School Rugby, which provided critical seed funding for new high school rugby programs, the Worcester (MA) Public Schools' rugby team achieved a major milestone last spring: The Wildcats earned varsity status from the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA).
In their inaugural varsity season, the Wildcats wasted no time making an impact. The team finished with an impressive 5–2 record and secured a spot in the MIAA Division 2 playoffs—a remarkable accomplishment for a first-year varsity program.
But the Wildcats' success spanned beyond the scoreboard. Demonstrating the values of respect, leadership, and community, the team—guided by a mission and vision statement created by the student-athletes themselves—was named the first-ever recipient of the MIAA Boys’ Rugby Bill Good Team Sportsmanship Award. The award honors the late Bill Good (who passed away in fall 2023). Bill’s passionate advocacy helped establish rugby as a varsity sport in the MIAA. This recognition marks both a successful season on the field and sends a strong statement about the culture and character being built in the Worcester Public Schools Rugby program.
The Wildcats' coaching staff—Hannah Rhoades, Bruce Mendelsohn, Brendan Leary, Tony Poti, Mike Carlo, and Alex Alicea—accepted the award during the MIAA Rugby Finals June 15 at Curry College.
Bolstered by strong leadership, community support, and commitment to World Rugby Values, the Wildcats are setting a high standard for the future of high school rugby in Massachusetts.
.png)
.jpg)
.png)
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
%20(1).png)
.png)
.png)
