In many cases, making the jump from Division II to Division I in any collegiate sport presents a daunting challenge, and it usually requires several years to build a team strong enough be competitive.


However, the Missouri men’s club rugby team, which made this transition at the conclusion of last season, fully expects to compete with the best teams in Division I, according to senior captain Dan Kloeckener.


“We consistently beat teams, both in our conference as well as in Division I last year, so we feel as though we are fully prepared to compete at this level,” he said.


After opening their season with a convincing 48-28 victory over Illinois last Saturday, the Tigers now turn their attention to this weekend’s tournament at Vanderbilt, which will feature some of the top teams in the nation.

Despite the tough competition that the team will face, Kloeckener believes the Tigers have what it takes to win the tournament, especially after last year’s third-place finish at the same event.


“A lot of the same teams from last year will be there,” he said. “We have played them before and know their styles pretty well, so we really like our chances.”


One main reason why the Tigers have experienced so much success in recent years is the increasing number of students wanting to be involved with the club. With around 35 players participating and only 20 spots available on the traveling roster, practices are run at a high intensity level.


“A lot of times, our practices turn into scrimmages because of the high number of people involved,” Kloeckener said. “This allows us to better evaluate and decide who will make the last few roster spots.”

Despite the team not having a coach, Kloeckener and fellow senior captain Mark Menne run practices and set the starting lineup. However, when it comes to game time, little coaching is needed, as everyone in the starting lineup has years of experience playing the game.


As a result, most players on the team are returning upperclassmen who know the system well. Several talented underclassmen are also given chances to showcase their abilities in the starting lineup.


One stand-out player is sophomore forward Ryan Schiedt.

“He has a lot of promise, as well as a lot of strength,” Kloeckener added.  “Any player like Ryan who can come into the game and immediately be a physical force is a great asset to any team.”


With rugby being a long, physical and sometimes violent sport, it is imperative for teams to constantly maintain their stamina. As a result, the Tigers devote several hours a week to work solely on conditioning, according to senior Bryan Hebron.


But despite all of the hard work and offseason preparation, the Tigers will find out how they stack up with premier Division I competition this weekend.


“We are really excited to see how we match up with everyone,” Kloeckener said. “This will be a good measuring stick for our team, and will let us know how far we have progressed since the end of last season.”