Photos by Mike Miller, Ph.D.
In acknowledgment of the Mountaineers’ hard work, dedication and skill that has garnered attention far beyond its mountain campus, the College Rugby Association of America has invited Mount St. Mary’s University men’s rugby team to play in the prestigious 2023 CRAA Fall Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Mount will face off against Michigan State University in the Battle for the Castle Bowl on December 2 at 8 p.m.
The match is being broadcast live on The Rugby Network, a platform dedicated to showcasing top-tier rugby events. The Mountaineers will have the opportunity to share their journey and passion for the sport with a nationwide audience, further solidifying their presence in the collegiate rugby landscape. Head Coach Jay Myles sees the Battle for the Castle Bowl as “a testament to the resilience and unity of a team that had defied expectations.”
“One of the biggest opportunities we've had is really focusing on the skills coming together. We were coming off a really challenging fall season last year and our main focus was culture. What’s allowed us to continue to grow and become successful is our philosophy and culture. It's all about the ‘none of us are stronger than all of us’ mentality where everybody bonds together,” Myles said.
For captain Bastain Brunello, some of the greatest words of advice he’s received from Coach Myles were “definitely trusting yourself and trusting your mates. I think this is very important because you can't win the game alone. Rugby isn’t like most sports where everyone can play individually. It’s very important in rugby for all 15 players to play together,” he explained.
The match also gives the team the opportunity to end the fall 15s season on a positive note. The team, which competes in the Rugby East Conference, went 4-2 this fall, winning important games against St. Bonaventure and Kutztown Universities, but losing tough matches to University of Mary Washington and 
Life University. “I’m excited to end our season in a good way. We had quite a bad finish against Life, so this is a great opportunity to bounce back, learn from our mistakes, and show everyone how we can really play,” Brunello exclaimed.
Jude Fangmeyer, a key contributor in the team’s national championship in the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7s National Tournament in April 2023, is out for the season due to injury. However, that doesn’t change the junior’s mindset going into the Bowl game. “Rugby is a long game; it's 80 minutes. There's going to be times when things go wrong, but you've got to work for the guy next to you no matter what. It’s the mentality we’ve had all year, and we’ll be bringing it December 2 against Michigan State,” he said. Fangmeyer is excited for the team “to go out and show what they can do against other teams we never have played before. It’s a great opportunity to show what Mount rugby is all about.”
Senior Shemar Lewis noted the differences between rugby and other sports. “Rugby is the only sport I've played where you need every single person on the field contributing to get to your end goal, which is a win,” he said. In addition, rugby is a “creative sport and 
you can turn a wrong mistake into a right one by just doing it at full pace and full intention. If you do something at 100% in our sport, anything is possible,” he added. This is the first year Lewis has been able to complete a full rugby season. “I’ve had major injury issues through my freshman year until junior year. Just playing the whole season and being part of it all on the field with the guys for the first time was the best experience, and I can't wait to continue it on December 2,” Lewis said.
The Mount is ranked 11th in the College Rugby Association of America’s D1A Power Rankings, while Michigan State is 16th.
Shemar Lewis 5
Bastian Brunello 10
Jude Fangmeyer 13