FSU Hosts First Rugby Day on Aug. 25

Fairmont State University will host the First Annual Rugby Day 2012 on Saturday, Aug. 25, for the Derek Hotsinpiller Heavenly Sevens Memorial Tournament.

The day’s events will begin from 8 to 10 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at CJ Maggies, located at 207 Jefferson St., in downtown Fairmont. Beginning at noon, there will be music and food at Duvall-Rosier Field on the main campus of FSU. Rugby matches will be from 1 to 4 p.m. with the current Fairmont Falcons; the newly formed North Central Ironguts; Fairmont Falcons alumni; and Team West Virginia, which is an all-state tournament team. Rugby fans are invited to stay after the matches to meet the players and enjoy more music and food at a social from 4 to 6 p.m.      

Admission to the event is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted and vendors will be on hand with food and other items for sale. A portion of all donations and proceeds from T-shirt sales at the event will go to the Derek Hotsinpiller Rugby Scholarship Fund. Hotsinpiller, a Deputy U.S. Marshal, was killed in the line of duty in 2011. He was a 2009 graduate of FSU and a former member of the rugby team.

“This is a family friendly event, and a day to introduce rugby to people who are interested in supporting the sport, learning, or even playing,” said Kenny Levick, Fairmont Falcons coach and a senior Architecture major at FSU.  

Over the summer, the Fairmont Falcons became part of a new conference -- the Three Rivers Rugby Conference (3RRC), which was given formal approval of USA Rugby along with the blessing of the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO). The 3RRC was formally recognized and approved by USA Rugby Collegiate Directors Rich Cortez and Tam Breckenridge. The 3RRC has established its foundation with colleges within Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania: Fairmont State University, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Grove City College and Robert Morris University. Carnegie Mellon University RFC and Clarion University RFC are in the application process and pending conference recognition.

“Fairmont State University is excited to be in a conference with other outstanding institutions. The Three Rivers Rugby Conference will focus on the student-athlete being a student first as well as a good citizen in the university community,” said Dr. Greg Noone, Head Coach of the Fairmont State University RFC.

The Fairmont Falcons rugby team is recognized as part of the Club Sports Program through the Office of Student Affairs, which serves Fairmont State and Pierpont Community & Technical College. The Club Sports program complements the Intramural Sports Program and the Varsity Athletic Program. Club Sports are designed to help students develop leadership, financial and organizational management skills through the opportunity to create, organize and run their own club. The Department of Intramurals provides advisement and administrative assistance to clubs. The Club Sports Council serves as an administrative body within the Intramural Program.

Derek HotsinpillerOffice of Student AffairsRugbyGreg NooneKenny LevickClub SportsFairmont Falcons