Honoring Excellence
Hall of Fame
Recognizing those who have made exceptional contributions to Loyola Rugby — on the field, off the field, and beyond graduation.
Five new members were elected to the Hall of Fame as the Class of 2026 and inducted on September 19, 2026 at the 50th Anniversary Gala.
Newly Inducted
The Class of 2026
Alumni voted from a ballot of twenty-two candidates spanning nearly five decades of Loyola Rugby. The five men elected spoke at the Hall of Fame speeches at Lugano Field and were inducted at the gala that evening, September 19, 2026.
Derald Dudley
Head Coach '06–'11
Coach
Six seasons at the helm alongside Matt Keffer, always putting player health and brotherhood first while steadily professionalizing the club.
Career Highlights
- Head Coach 2006–2011; instilled the standard of exceptional fitness that remains a club expectation today
- Added Wednesday practices, Friday walk-throughs, merit-based selection, and the club retreat
- Founding forwards coach of the Virginia Tech Women's RFC; three interclub championships coaching youth rugby
- Monthly financial contributor to the club
Greg Burkhardt
1985–1990
Player · In Memoriam
Greg earned representative honors in four consecutive years and a national All-Star selection — among the highest individual honors of any Loyola player of his era. He was inducted in memoriam, and his wife, Maria, accepted for him at the gala.
Career Highlights
- PRU Select Side four straight years — 1986, '87, '88, '89
- USA Rugby Eastern Collegiate All-Star, 1988
- Sole recipient of the Pig Pen Award, Fall 1985
- Maryland Exiles 1990–93; Baltimore-Chesapeake RFC 1994–97
Charlie Eschmann
2010–2013 · Coach '14–'16
Center / Wing · President
"If you're a Loyola college rugger, you're with us" — Charlie led by that ethos as club president, and his lasting contribution came off the field as an inaugural SLOB board member.
Career Highlights
- A-side starter at 13 and 14; club president 2012–13
- 2013 Player's Choice "Hell of a Man" Award
- Assistant coach 2014–2016; helped hire the head coach who launched a new era of Loyola rugby
- Inaugural SLOB Board member (2013); organized NYC alumni fundraisers and SLOB summer sides
Jimmy Cahill
2013–2017
Four-Time MVP · Captain
A four-year starter and four-time Loyola RFC MVP, Jimmy captained one of the most successful teams in the club's modern history.
Career Highlights
- Four-year starter and four-time Loyola RFC MVP; senior team captain
- Multiple First Team All-Conference selections
- 2016 Potomac Rugby Conference champion; 2017 Mid-Atlantic regional champion
- Top-10 national ranking and Elite Eight appearance at the 2017 national championship
- Current SLOB Board member and consistent financial supporter
Kyle Higgins
2015–2019
Hooker · No. 8 · All-American
A four-year starter — two years at hooker, two at No. 8 — Kyle became the club's first All-American since Sean Lugano while leading Loyola to the NSCRO Final Four.
Career Highlights
- All-American, 2018 — the club's first since Sean Lugano
- Led the team to the NSCRO Final Four and named to the all-tournament team
- Three-time Potomac All-Conference selection; MVP, Fall 2018
- Match Secretary; graduated Summa Cum Laude while helping raise the team's average GPA
- Monthly financial contributor to Loyola RFC for over six years
September 19, 2026 · Loyola University Maryland
Honored at the 50th Anniversary
The Class of 2026 was celebrated twice over the anniversary weekend — first on the pitch at Lugano Field, then formally inducted that evening at McGuire Hall.
Saturday · 1:00–2:00 PM
Hall of Fame Speeches
Under the tent at Lugano Field, ahead of the men's kick-off.
Saturday · 7:30–11:00 PM
Induction at the Gala
Dinner and reception at McGuire Hall, where the Class of 2026 joined the Hall of Fame.
Selection Criteria
Inductees are chosen based on outstanding achievements playing for Loyola RFC, off-the-field contributions, post-graduation support, accomplishments in rugby after Loyola, and lifelong commitment to the sport.
Inductees
Coaches
- Loc Vetter '79–'83
- Mike Flanagan '85–'90, '18–'20
- Derald Dudley '06–'11
1980s
- Geoff Failla '80
- Louis Carrico '80
- Jamie Caulfield '81
- Victor Norris '81
- Kenny Ames '83
- John Molli '83
- Brian McCaw '84
- Joe Morel '84
- Jim Farrell '84
- Ivan Lopez-Muniz '87
- Steve Walsh '88
- Chris Carroll '89
- Jim Johnson '89
1990s
- Matt Malcotti '90
- Steve Laake '91
- Karl King '91
- Tim Dippel '91
- Chris Keffer '94
- Sean Lugano '95
- JC Crowley '98
- Greg Burkhardt '90
2000s
- Mark Giordano '08
2010s
- Charlie Eschmann '13
- Jimmy Cahill '17
- Kyle Higgins '19
Induction Classes
2016
40th Anniversary Gala
November 5, 2016
2022
45th Anniversary Gala
October 29, 2022
2026
50th Anniversary Gala
September 19, 2026