Nominees are evaluated on their achievements playing for Loyola RFC, off-the-field contributions to the club, support of Loyola RFC post-graduation, accomplishments in rugby after Loyola, and lifelong commitment to the sport. Jump to any nominee:
Nominated for their contributions leading the program.
Hugh Anderson
Head Coach '84–'85 & '21–'22
Coach
Recruited from Loughborough University by founders Loc Vetter and Bill Howard, Hugh arrived from the UK at age 24 to coach one of Loyola's earliest sides — and returned 37 years later, at 62, to lead the club again. He is a living bridge between the founding era on Cold Spring Lane and the modern program on Lugano Field.
At Loyola
- Coached the 1984 team of "original legends" all the way to the regional final, falling to Navy in a closely contested match
- Built an aggressive, fast-handling style — "score on phase 3 or 4"
- Returned as Head Coach in 2021–22 and led the club to the national Round of 16 in Charleston, with just one key loss all season
Beyond Loyola
- A key figure in the early link between Loyola and Baltimore men's club rugby, training with both programs
- Followed and championed the game across four decades on both sides of the Atlantic
Derald Dudley
Head Coach '06–'11 & recent seasons
Coach
Derald led the program for six seasons alongside Matt Keffer, always putting player health and brotherhood first while steadily professionalizing the club — merit-based selection, midweek practices, a fitness coach, and the club retreat. He returned to the sideline for the past two seasons, with the club finishing ranked No. 1 and No. 6 in the nation.
At Loyola
- 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
- Returned to coach the past two seasons, culminating in national rankings of 1st and 6th
- Monthly financial contributor to the club
Beyond Loyola
- Played for Salisbury (1988–90), Blacksburg RFC (1990–92), and Frederick RFC (1993–2005) — two national Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight appearance
- Founding forwards coach of the Virginia Tech Women's RFC (1992)
- Coached three years of youth rugby for the Lutherville-Timonium Vipers, winning three interclub championships
Listed chronologically by playing era.
Outside Center · Original Member
An original member of Loyola Rugby, Doug started at prop, lasted exactly one game there, and spent the rest of his career at outside center. He was an integral part of the team's evolution from a rag-tag outfit into a formidable side by 1980, earning team MVP honors that year.
At Loyola
- Original member of the club (1977)
- Integral to the team's rise from rag-tag outfit to formidable side by 1980
- Team MVP, 1980
Beyond Loyola
- Played for BACON RFC post-graduation
- Selected for the Baltimore-area select side
Alec Buchness '82
Fall 1979 – Spring 1982
Player & Club Officer
A Co-MVP on the field and a backbone of club operations off it, Alec kept the young club running — serving as match secretary for numerous years, acting as a club selector, and organizing the first Jesuit Invitational Tournament, an event that became a Loyola Rugby tradition.
At Loyola
- Co-MVP, Fall 1981
- Match secretary for numerous years
- Set up the first Jesuit Invitational Tournament (JIT)
- Club selector
Chris Dimaio '83
1980–1983
Flanker (and everywhere else)
Chris played seven seasons across four years — somewhere between 78 and 100+ matches in an era when Loyola competed against men's clubs. His versatility (flanker, hooker, No. 8, center, wing) made him a fixture on tournament sides, and he went on to play the sport for 33 years, finally hanging up his boots at 52 after scoring a try in a 2013 Old Boys match.
At Loyola
- Selected for the Preakness Tournaments 1981–83, the 1981 PRU championships, the Mount Cup 1980–83, and the 1983 JIT
- Club treasurer and Loyola's representative at PRU meetings
- Only two-time recipient of the Rodney Dangerfield Award — "I get no respect!" (1982) and "I still get no respect!" (1983)
- Mentored the next generation, passing the wing-forward craft from Louis Carrico on to Tim Madey — a Loyola legacy
Beyond Loyola
- Played in the first SLOB match and every one for years after — often the oldest player on the pitch; longtime SLOB donor
- Founding father and charter member of Cumberland RFC
- Played D1 rugby with Chesapeake / Baltimore-Chesapeake RFC, touring England, Wales (1986), and Bermuda (1987)
- At least 14 Preakness / Rites of Spring tournaments; CAN-AM tournament pilgrimage in 2006; played until age 52
- Volunteered at Rites of Spring — goal posts, beer service, cleanup — "An awful lot of details would have gone badly, if not for Chris."
James M. Schuette, Jr.
1982–1984
Player
Jim gave three seasons and many tournament victories to Loyola as part of a group that famously gave 100% both during and after the game — and then simply never stopped playing, suiting up against undergrads well into his 40s.
At Loyola
- Three seasons with many tournament victories; played BASS
- Scouted potential scholarship players for the club
Beyond Loyola
- Played for University of Dayton undergrads for three years while in law school, then six years with Old Red Rugby
- Helped coach at the University of Dayton for three years
- Played SLOB matches until age 46; continuing contributor to Loyola RFC
Player
Greg earned representative honors in four consecutive years on the PRU Select Side and was named a USA Rugby Eastern Collegiate All-Star in 1988 — among the highest individual honors of any Loyola player of his era.
At Loyola
- PRU Select Side — 1986, '87, '88, '89
- USA Rugby Eastern Collegiate All-Star, 1988
- Sole recipient of the Pig Pen Award, Fall 1985
Beyond Loyola
- Maryland Exiles, 1990–93
- Baltimore-Chesapeake RFC, 1994–97
- Retired from competitive rugby in 1998 to earn his MBA at Loyola's Sellinger School of Business
Ed Curran
Fall 1988 – Spring 1992
No. 8 · Captain
A three-year first XV No. 8 and captain, Ed anchored the 1990 PRU and Mid-Atlantic championship team that advanced to the Division 1 Sweet 16. He went on to become a pillar of Philadelphia-Whitemarsh RFC for three decades — and their Hall of Famer — while never losing his ties to Evergreen.
At Loyola
- Three-year first XV No. 8 and team captain
- 1990 PRU and Mid-Atlantic championship team; Division 1 Sweet 16 (1990)
- PRU Select Side 1990–92 (captain) and ERU Select Side 1991–92
- JIT team 1989–90; Mardi Gras Tour 1989; Bahamas Tour 1991
- Vice president, forwards selector, and one of the club's player-coaches, 1991–92
Beyond Loyola
- Philadelphia-Whitemarsh RFC since 1992 — first XV back row and 7s player for many years; club Hall of Fame inductee
- PWRFC match secretary (1996–2003), treasurer (2003–2016), and longtime board member; helped host the US National 7s Championships and the Army-Navy game
- EPRU and ERU Select Sides; Mid-Atlantic side Bermuda tour
- Brokered a reconditioned Predator scrum machine for Loyola in 2011, complete with a training session from a former USA National coach
- Annual financial supporter who steers Philadelphia-area high school players toward Loyola
Hector F. Nicodemus, MD
Fall 1988 – Spring 1992
Scrumhalf · Team Medic
A-side scrumhalf on the 1990–91 PRU and Mid-Atlantic championship team that earned a national ranking, Hector made three PRU Select Sides — while also serving as the club's unofficial medic and trainer. Post-graduation he transformed Gonzaga College High School rugby into a varsity sport; the program is now a six-time national champion and the largest sport in the school.
At Loyola
- A-side scrumhalf, Fall 1990 – Spring 1992; JIT side 1990
- Member of the 1990–91 PRU champion, Mid-Atlantic champion, nationally ranked team
- PRU Select Side three years; Unsung Hero Award, Spring 1990
- Backs selector two years; unofficial team medic and trainer for four-plus years
- Best Dressed Rugger Award, Spring 1989 — and the only player to bring his own lawn chair to the pitch
Beyond Loyola
- PRU U25 Select Side, 1992–94
- Coached Gonzaga College HS (1993–96) and convinced the athletic director to make rugby a varsity sport — the program is now a six-time national champion
- Founding member, Eye St. Rugby (Gonzaga College HS), 1988
- Coach, Maryland Exiles youth tag rugby, 2022–present — U11 Maryland state champions 2022, U13 state finalists 2023–25
- Three years on the SLOB Board and a recurring donor
Jaron Fragner
Four years, c. 2007–2011
No. 8
A four-year A-side starter at No. 8, Jaron led the team in tries in back-to-back seasons and won the Fall 2010 Loc Vetter Award — the same year Loyola knocked off then-No. 1 Georgetown. He represented the USA at the Maccabiah Games, winning bronze in Israel in 2009, and has since built one of the most extensive youth-rugby resumes in the alumni ranks.
At Loyola
- Four-year A-side starter at No. 8; team try leader Fall 2009 and Fall 2010
- Loc Vetter Award winner, Fall 2010; defeated then-No. 1 (D2) Georgetown in 2010
- USA Maccabiah Rugby Team 2008–2011 — bronze medal at the 2009 Maccabiah Games in Israel
- PRU U19 selection (2008); MARFU qualifier 2008 and 2009
- Club vice president and treasurer, 2008–2010
Beyond Loyola
- A-side starter for LA Rugby, Hibernian, and Doylestown
- Co-founder, treasurer, and head coach of Yardley Makefield Rookie Rugby Club — 100+ K-8 players per year, with $2,000+ in scholarships awarded in 2026
- Doylestown U13/U14 coach — 2024 PA State 15s champions, 2025 PA State 7s champions; Atlantis U14 coach (USA Rugby developmental side)
- Chair/member of the EPRU Disciplinary Board (2016–20); board member and legal counsel for Hibernian Rugby
- Organized SLOB summer 7s and 10s sides, including the 2017 Philly 10s Social Champions
Charlie Eschmann '13
2010–2013 · Coach 2014–2016
Center / Wing · President
"If you're a Loyola college rugger, you're with us" — Charlie embraced that ethos from his first practice and led by it as club president. His lasting contribution came off the field: as an inaugural SLOB board member he helped hire the head coach whose 2014 arrival launched a new era of Loyola rugby.
At Loyola
- A-side starter at 13 and 14, junior and senior years
- Club president, 2012–13; 2013 Player's Choice "Hell of a Man" Award
- Assistant coach, Fall 2014 – Spring 2016; hired the new head coach who started a new era of Loyola rugby
Beyond Loyola
- Inaugural SLOB Board member (2013)
- Organized NYC alumni fundraisers and SLOB summer tournament sides across NJ, DE, and PA
- Philly 10s summer tournament champion, 2018 (social division)
Andrew Brosnahan
Player 2011–2015 · Coach 2015–2016
Back · Player-Coach
Andrew arrived to a club at a low ebb and left it a national contender. A four-year starter, Loc Vetter winner, and eventual player-coach, he pushed tactics sessions and early game film, then stayed in Baltimore to coach — recruiting the club's first scholarship players and guiding the 2016 conference championship team to a top-10 national ranking and an Elite Eight run.
At Loyola
- Four-year starter in the backs; Loc Vetter Award winner and two-time backs award recipient
- Player-coach who introduced off-field tactics sessions and the beginnings of game film
- 2nd place, Potomac Rugby Conference, 2015 — the club's return to championship form
Beyond Loyola
- Two years on the coaching staff: 2016 conference champions, top-10 NSCRO national ranking, and an Elite Eight appearance
- Traveled to high school games and college fairs to recruit the club's first scholarship players
- Played 7s with fellow SLOBs and Landsdowne NY post-Baltimore; early supporter of SLOB
Phil Arvanitis
Fall 2012 – Spring 2016
Scrumhalf / Back Three
A four-year contributor and starter at scrumhalf, the back three, and flyhalf, Phil served the club in nearly every capacity — match secretary, backs captain, then assistant coach through the program's best years, and secretary of the entire Potomac Rugby Conference.
At Loyola
- Four-year starter at scrumhalf, back three, and occasionally flyhalf
- Backs Rookie of the Year 2012; Backs Captain's Award 2014
- Match secretary as a sophomore; backs captain as a senior
- Assistant coach 2016–2019: first place in the PRC (2016), Mid-Atlantic Championship (2017), Four Leaf Fifteens Championship (2018), and a fourth-place national finish at the 2018 NCR 15s National Cup
Beyond Loyola
- Secretary of the Potomac Rugby Conference, 2016–2019 — built schedules for every member university and integrated Gettysburg College into the conference
- Graduate assistant in Loyola's Department of Recreational Sports, advocating for the club within the university
- Played for Portland (Maine) RFC until a career-ending shoulder injury
Second Row · Forwards Captain
A four-year A-side starter at second row, Tom won the Loc Vetter MVP as a sophomore and captained the forwards as a senior — while making the USA Rugby Collegiate Academic Honor Roll twice and leading the club's community service efforts. He has served on the SLOB board since 2020.
At Loyola
- Four-year A-side starter at second row
- Forward Rookie of the Year 2012; Loc Vetter MVP, Fall 2013
- Forwards captain, Fall 2015 & Spring 2016
- USA Rugby Collegiate Academic Honor Roll, 2014 & 2015
- Team captain for LURFC Relay for Life; community service with the York Road Initiative and wheelchair rugby programs
Beyond Loyola
- SLOB Board member, 2020–present — fundraising, recruitment, and operational support
Four-Time MVP · Captain
A four-year starter and four-time Loyola RFC MVP, Jimmy captained one of the most successful teams in recent club history — the 2016 Potomac Rugby Conference champions and 2017 Mid-Atlantic regional champions that earned a top-10 national ranking and reached the Elite Eight of the national championship tournament.
At Loyola
- 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 in the 2017 national championship tournament
- Organized team travel, tournaments, and social events; mentored younger players
Beyond Loyola
- Current SLOB Board member and consistent financial supporter
- Continued in men's club rugby and regional 7s tournaments
- Active participant in alumni events and community outreach, including wheelchair rugby programs
Back · Captain
A four-year, eight-semester A-side starter, Luke captained the senior-year side that reached the national Elite Eight — after spending his junior year representing Loyola at University College Cork in Ireland. He has been a monthly donor for eight years, recruited his brother Jack to a four-year A-side career, and is still playing competitive men's rugby nearly a decade on.
At Loyola
- Four-year / eight-semester A-side starter
- Unsung Hero Award, Spring 2015
- Represented Loyola at University College Cork, Ireland — 15s and 7s (junior year)
- Senior-year team captain; national Elite Eight finalist
- Helped build club camaraderie, recruit and maintain two full sides, and push the club to a national ranking
Beyond Loyola
- Eight-year monthly recurring donor; recruited brother Jack Preston (four-year A-side starter, 2018–22) and assists Connecticut-area recruiting
- Fairfield Yankees 2017–2026 — team captain 2021–23; EGU division champion 2018 (D2) and 2022 (D3); 2026 D3 regional finalist
- Capped player for the Connecticut Selects, 2021–22; D1 7s with the Bay Area Barracudas (2017)
- Youth coaching with COBRA — the City of Bridgeport Youth Rugby Alliance