Brendan Bibb earns top front rowers honors

Tennessee’s Brendan Bibb earns top front rowers honors.

Tennessee’s Brendan Bibb earned top front rowers honors from Goff Rugby Report for the 2022 season.

Tennessee won its third consecutive SCRC championship in 2022, defeating South Carolina, 27-22, on Nov. 12.

2022 top DIAA front rowers players:

Gavin Bennett, South Carolina
Tiernan Bentley, UConn
Brendan Bibb, Tennessee
Graham Blondes, The Citadel
Andrew Newton, Kennesaw State
Josia Bown, Belmont Abbey
Benjamin Brake, Columbia University
Luis Camacho, Southern Nazarene
Jeremiah Days, Citadel
Ivan Delgado, Western Michigan
Alex Eforo, Binghamton
Angelo Eklou, Louisville
Alex Geisert, Iowa State
Luke Geister Jones, Minnesota
Spencer Glaeser, Kansas
Andrei Golding James Madison
Dan Hanson, Louisville
Connor Hohman, St. Joseph’s
Damian Huggins, Syracuse University
Cody Luther, Bowling Green
Ryan McBride, Bowling Green
Jack McDermott, UMass Amherst
Jarred Monnier, Kentucky
Jackson Moulin, Arkansas
Chris O’Sullivan, Georgia
Jalal Sawas, Stony Brook University
Christopher Siegert, Boston College
Kyle Sikora, Bowling Green
Seth Symond, Minnesota
Brooks Tate, Arkansas
Blain Tomas, Lander
Drake Torno, Sam Houston State
Andrew Townley, Alabama
Reed Vabrey, Oregon
Drew Ward, Yale University

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Christian Moolman earns top lock honors

Tennessee’s Christian Moolman earns top lock honors.

Tennessee’s Christian Moolman earned top lock honors from Goff Rugby Report for the 2022 season.

Tennessee won its third consecutive SCRC championship in 2022, defeating South Carolina, 27-22, on Nov. 12.

2022 top DIAA lock players:

Douglas Barnes, Boise State
Jake Calbeck, Kansas State
Johnny Carmichael, Belmont Abbey
Mike Callahan, Kansas
Andrew Dunlop, Clemson
Chris Ferrigno, Rhode Island
Dan Geinosky, North Carolina
Leo Henkels, Boston College
Sam Hooper, Bowling Green
Christopher Jensvold, Louisville
Matthew Laudien, West Chester
Max Lofgren, Nebraska
Will Meckauskas, Kentucky
Ted Melchiorre, Delaware
Christian Moolman, Tennessee
Max Muhm, Iowa State
John Reddy, Cincinnati
George Speres, Boston College
Zach Szepiela, Bowling Green
Justin Tucker, Texas State

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Two Vols earn top loose forward honors

Two Vols earn top loose forward honors for the 2022 season.

Tennessee student-athletes Matthew Beacom and Luke Mathis earned top loose forward honors from Goff Rugby Report for the 2022 season.

2022 top DIAA loose forward players:

Dan Ahern, Binghamton
Parker Anderson, Louisville
Matthew Beacom, Tennessee
Alex Bottass, Delaware
Mateo Carrazana, Belmont Abbey
Kobe Choat, Bowling Green
Sean Collins, SUNY Oswego
CJ Corcoran, Missouri
Nathan Creech, Iowa
Corinthian Cromier, Sam Houston State
Hunter Danesi, Virginia Tech
Arthur Dehareng, UMass Amherst
Tom DeRosa St. Joseph’s
Carter Elder, James Madison
Aidan Gill, Kentucky
Jeremy Gunderson, Oregon
Taylor Green, Western Michigan
Liam Hart, North Carolina
Grant Howard, South Carolina
Jake Hudak, Bowling Green
Gavin Hughes, North Carolina
Jared Johnson, Iowa State
Wyatt Kelley, Kentucky
Trevor Lister, Kansas
Bennett Mantz, Boise State
Parker Marquis, Utah Valley
Pat Massman, Boston College
Luke Mathis, Tennessee
Jack McGinnis, Cincinnati
Kevin McLesson, Dayton
George Mercer, LSU
Joshua Oliveira, Belmont Abbey
Will Otondi, Binghamton University
Quentin Pithey, Kansas
Nick Rasmussen, Iowa
Jaxson Schoelein, IUPUI
Ethan Syswerda, Lander
Adam Taylor, Salisbury
Antonio Vallorani, West Chester
Tanner Tewes, Iowa
Mike White, Stony Brook
Luke Wischmeyer, Western Michigan

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Josh Shetler earns top wing and fullback honors

Tennessee senior Josh Shetler earns top wing and fullback honors.

Tennessee senior Josh Shetler earned top wing and fullback honors from Goff Rugby Report for the 2022 season.

Shetler served as a co-captain for the Vols in 2022.

2022 top DIAA fall wing/fullback players:

Beau Abbott, Bowling Green
Ibe Akar, UMass Amherst
Andre Busnneault, Stony Brook
Juliano Chesnick, Bowling Green
Rowan Collins, Iowa State
Wes Cummings, Iowa State
David Do, Cincinnati
Brondon Eng, Virginia Tech
Hayden Friedrichsen, Iowa
Elisha Garcia, Texas State
Kyle Goodwin, Citadel
Chase Hanak, Pittsburgh
Josh Jones, IUPUI
Ian Kelly, LSU
Matt Kelly, St. Joseph’s
Cael Kuhn, Kansas
Aiden Lewis, Utah Valley
Pat Massman, Boston College
Aidan McMullan, St. Joseph’s
Patrick McMahon, Boston College
Tate Nelson, Oregon
Chima Okoro, Columbia University
Col Rinklin, Clemson
Will Richey, Virginia Tech
Jackson Schemmel, Kansas
Josh Shetler, Tennessee
Cam Smith, Lander
Gabe Spees, Western Michigan
Adam Strong, Kansas State
Aidan Stretch, Yale University
Etienne Tenie, Sam Houston State
Chase Travis, Alabama
Papi Young, Belmont Abbey

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Vols set to host Ohio State in top 25 matchup

Tennessee set to host Ohio State in top 25 matchup.

No. 17 Tennessee opened its 2022 schedule Aug. 27 with the Vols’ annual Old Boys game.

The Vols (0-0) will kick off its regular-season schedule Saturday at Tennessee Rugby Park against No. 6 Ohio State (1-0). Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. EDT.

Ohio State opened its 2022 regular season Sept. 2, defeating No. 18 Notre Dame, 39-14.

Tennessee enters regular-season play having not lost a game in 15s competition since Nov. 23, 2019. Tennessee won the 2021 USA Rugby Division I national championship.

PHOTOS: Tennessee debuts 2021 national championship rugby banner

Alex Goff of the Goff Rugby Report released Division I men’s rugby rankings ahead of Week 2 games.

Tennessee remains ranked No. 17. The Buckeyes remain ranked No. 6 after defeating Notre Dame.

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2022 preseason Division I men’s rugby rankings

A look at where Tennessee is ranked in the 2022 preseason Division I men’s rugby rankings.

Tennessee opened its 2022 schedule Saturday with the Vols’ annual Old Boys game.

The Vols will return to Tennessee Rugby Park Sept. 10 for its regular season home opener versus Ohio State. The match is a preseason top 25 contest.

Tennessee enters regular season play having not lost a game in 15s competition since Nov. 23, 2019. Tennessee won the 2021 USA Rugby Division I national championship.

PHOTOS: Tennessee debuts 2021 national championship rugby banner

PHOTOS: 2022 Tennessee rugby Old Boys game

Ahead of the 2022 season, Alex Goff of the Goff Rugby Report released preseason Division I men’s rugby rankings. Goff’s Division I men’s rugby preseason top 40 rankings are listed below.

2022 Major League Rugby draft preview: Greg Janowick

2022 Major League Rugby draft preview: Former Vol Greg Janowick

The 2022 Major League Rugby draft will take place Thursday, consisting of three rounds and 13 picks per round.

The first hour of the 2022 MLR draft will be televised on FS2 at 7 p.m. EDT. Following the first hour, The Rugby Network will provide coverage.

Former Vol Greg Janowick awaits where he will play in Major League Rugby.

Janowick and Tennessee won a national championship in 2021. Tennessee (11-0) outscored its opponents, 373-127, and recorded three shutouts during the 2021 national championship season.

No. 1 Tennessee defeated Bowling Green, 36-31, in the 2021 national championship game. Tennessee led 31-19 at halftime. Janowick scored three times in the first 18 minutes of the first half, helping Tennessee open a 24-0 lead.

Tennessee and Janowick did not lose to a college team in 15s competition from Nov. 2019-Dec. 2021.

Greg Janowick (4). Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Ahead of Thursday’s draft, Alex Goff of Goff Rugby Report provided analysis of Janowick.

“Greg is a fantastic college player,” Goff told Vols Wire. “Greg Janowick was a huge part of Tennessee’s amazing 2021 fall season and he brought a lot of power and aggression. As a pro he’d have to answer questions about his fitness. He’s a big, strong guy and his combine numbers reflect that, but can he build on his mobility and endurance to take it to the next level? That’s probably the main question. As with anyone trying to pursue a career in professional rugby, effort and strength of will count for a lot. If Janowick wants to put in the work, he can be an excellent professional player.

“With so many good locks going in the draft, he has competition, but could be picked up in the three draft rounds for sure, but if he’s an undrafted free agent, that might work better for him. He can move to a city, work hard in a team’s academy system or a high-level local club, show he can make the jump, and work out a contract from there.”

Greg Janowick discusses his rugby career at Tennessee

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Vols are No. 1 in final rankings

Tennessee is No. 1 in the final rugby rankings.

No. 1 Tennessee defeated Bowling Green, 36-31, in the 2021 Fall Division-I Collegiate Club Rugby Championship Dec. 4 at Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina.

Tennessee (11-0) concluded its 2021 fall season as D-1AA national champions and outscored its opponents, 373-127. The Vols recorded three shutouts this season.

Alex Goff of the Goff Rugby Report released final rankings following the 2021 season.

Tennessee is No. 1 and the full rankings can be viewed here.

Tennessee’s 2021 rugby schedule

  • Sept. 4 at Ohio State (W, 30-23)
  • Sept. 5 at Cincinnati (W, 22-0)
  • Sept. 18 at Kennesaw State (forfeit awarded to UT)
  • Oct. 2 vs. Kentucky (W, 22-15)
  • Oct. 16 vs. Clemson (W, 41-25)
  • Oct. 22 at Alabama (W, 51-0)
  • Oct. 30 at South Carolina (W, 45-0)
  • Nov. 6 vs. Georgia (W, 67-7)
  • Nov. 13 vs. Georgia (W, 33-9) *SCRC semifinal
  • Nov. 20 vs. Clemson (W, 26-17) *SCRC championship
  • Dec. 4 vs. Bowling Green (W, 36-31) *Division-I Collegiate Club Rugby Championship

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Tennessee remains ranked No. 1 nationally ahead of playing Bowling Green

Tennessee rugby remains ranked No. 1 in the nation ahead of playing No. 5 Bowling Green.

Tennessee (10-0) defeated Clemson (6-2), 26-17, in the Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference (SCRC) Tournament championship game.

The Vols will now play in the 2021 Fall Division-I Collegiate Club Rugby Championship. Tennessee will play Bowling Green on Dec. 4 at noon EST.

The contest will take place at Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina.

Tennessee entered the SCRC Tournament championship game with a No. 1 national ranking in the Week 12 men’s DIAA college rankings (Goff).

Goff released its Week 13 rankings on Friday and the Vols remain No. 1, while Bowling Green is No. 5.

Below are photos during Tennessee’s 2021 season.