BGSU men’s rugby team headed to Spain for an overseas tour

The team will compete against three Spanish club rugby teams during the 10-day trip

Following a near-perfect season, a Mid-American Conference championship and a trip to nationals, the Bowling Green State University men’s rugby team is traveling to Spain to compete internationally.

The BGSU team will compete against three Spanish club rugby teams, including two in Madrid and one in Seville, as part of an overseas tour.

Roger Mazzarella, the team’s director of operations, said the trip offers BGSU rugby players an opportunity to build relationships through the sport, learn new strategies and broaden their cultural perspectives.

“This is a really unique opportunity for our players to travel overseas and explore a new country while playing a sport they’re passionate about,” he said.

Mazzarella said BGSU is one of only two universities in the Midwest whose club rugby teams travel internationally.

Club sports at BGSU, part of the University’s top-ranked student experience, empower students to pursue their athletic interests at a Division 1 school while earning degrees in relevant, in-demand academic programs.

BGSU men’s rugby is considered to have one of the longest championship-winning streaks in collegiate athletics at any level within MAC rugby. The program’s storied reputation consistently draws students from across Ohio and the country to BGSU, eager to join the historic team.

About half of the team and a handful of parents and family members are making the self-funded trip to Spain. They departed Bowling Green on Feb. 28 and will return on March 9.  

The BGSU men’s rugby team typically travels internationally every other year. In the past, they’ve competed in London, Wales, Italy, Scotland and South Africa. This is the team’s first trip to Spain.  

While in the country, Mazzarella said they’ll visit various historic and cultural landmarks. He also said it’s BGSU tradition to present each team they play with a plaque commemorating the match.

“There are BGSU plaques hanging in rugby clubhouses all over Europe and South Africa,” he said.