1993
The club takes root
Loyola Chicago Men’s Rugby was founded in 1993. From day one it has been part of the fabric of Chicago college rugby, giving the program more than thirty years of history.
About
About Loyola Chicago Men's Rugby
Founded in 1993, shaped by Chicago-area rugby, and still building through Great Midwest competition, alumni support, and a team culture built on showing up.
Established1993
ConferenceGreat Midwest
DivisionNCR DII
About
Program History
Three decades in the making
Loyola Chicago Men's Rugby has been building since 1993. A run of Chicago-area CARFU titles, conference and regional playoff runs, and a national Final Four all trace one throughline — a club that keeps showing up, competing, and growing. The modern era is writing the next chapter.
2004-2011
CARFU champions
Loyola ruled Chicago-area club rugby, winning CARFU championships in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011 — one of the most dominant local runs of its era.
2011-2013
Postseason regulars
The club reached the Midwest Playoffs in 2011 and put together Wisconsin-Illinois Conference Elite 8 runs in 2012 and 2013.
2022
Final Four run
Head coach Sal Carfagno took a 1-4 team and built it into a nationally recognized program, crowned by a run to the national Final Four in 2022. Over four years he forged a culture of hard work now woven into the club’s DNA — plus a partnership with the MLR’s Chicago Hounds that opened player internships and launched the Dawgtown 7s.
Now
The next era
That culture carries forward under head coach Maclean Jones, a pro flanker for the MLR’s Chicago Hounds, who leads the Ramblers into the upcoming season.
Competitive Thread
From CARFU to NCR DII
Loyola won its way through the Chicago club ranks in the 2000s, battled through conference and regional playoffs in the early 2010s, and reached the national Final Four in 2022. Today the club competes in the Great Midwest Conference in National Collegiate Rugby Division II.
Club Honors
- Founded in 1993
- CARFU Champions: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011
- Midwest Playoffs: 2011
- WIIL/WILL Elite 8: 2012, 2013
- National Final Four: 2022
- Great Midwest Conference / NCR DII today
Identity
Chicago grit. Rambler pride.
Loyola Chicago Men's Rugby is a student club built around competition, community, and the habit of becoming harder to play against every week.
Camaraderie
Toughness
Accountability
Growth
Chicago Grit
Coaches
Program leadership
Coaching Staff
Training standards, match prep, player development, and the day-to-day details that keep the club moving.
Contact