After a 2024 season that failed to live up to expectations, the University of Tennessee club rugby team returned to the field this season even more determined. The seniors, especially, wanted to finish their careers on a high note and leave a legacy of success.
Mission accomplished.
No. 1 Tennessee (12-0) completed its best season in the program’s 55-year history, capturing the National Collegiate Rugby Division I-AA title with a 21-15 win over Bowling Green in the championship game Dec. 13 at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Vols rallied from a 14-7 halftime deficit to capture the club’s second national title.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better ending,” says senior captain Roman Funkhouser, who provided the winning try in the final minutes. “It’s almost an unbelievable experience. It’s kind of hard to put into words. It’s just kind of surreal.”
Right place, right time
As a club team, Tennessee Rugby doesn’t receive any funding from the university, and the players are not on athletic scholarships. The team must raise its own money or rely on donations to participate in events and fund travel. The dedication required helped the Vols form an extremely cohesive bond that they attributed to their success.
The team’s motto is “family, school, rugby” to align with the priorities set by head coach Scott Tungay.
“We truly are a family,” junior Ted Naeher says. “We’re always hanging out outside of practice. Everybody’s always excited to see each other. We’re just super tight with some serious chemistry, which is almost as important as physicality and skill. We’re an extremely undersized team, but it’s kind of that connection, heart, and grit that made this team special.
Naeher wasn’t a full-time starter this season but started the team’s quarterfinal game against Sam Houston State when one of his roommates was injured.
“Just being available helped me slide into my spot. We had a lot of guys go down, and if some people don’t get injured, I don’t know if I’m on the playoff roster,” he says. “But I’m glad I was there. I’m glad I didn’t give up or get sort of upset that I wasn’t on a side and call it quits.”
Program now a draw
Tennessee’s rugby program launched in 1970 and has grown steadily over time. This year’s roster featured nearly 50 players, which made practice sessions even more competitive and productive.
“It had been primarily a Knoxville and Tennessee demographic of kids playing. But now we are actually starting to have kids come from all across the country,” says Funkhouser, a Maryland native. “We have guys from California to Colorado to Texas to Washington, DC to Seattle – and we even have an exchange student from England (Gabriel O’Reilly) who played a pivotal role in the win.”
Barrett Swedin, a sophomore from South Carolina, had never played rugby before arriving at UT last year. He’s been in a supporting role for his first two years, and has appreciated all the guidance he’s received from the upperclassmen.
“I’ve learned so much from the senior class. It’s a really good group of leaders,” Swedin says. “I’ve learned a lot about the game itself, but also how to be a man throughout life, how to act in certain situations, and how to be a good person. It’s a lot more than just learning rugby from them. I could not find a group of people that deserve to end with a national championship more than our senior class, because they are a special group of people.”
Making the run
Funkhouser decided to play rugby during his senior year of high school after his football career had finished. Part of his decision to attend UT was based on the club rugby program’s reputation.
Rugby has played a pivotal role in his college experience over the last four years and he’s developed friendships that will last a lifetime. Having UT fans and supporters react so positively after the team captured the national title filled him with pride.
“Rugby isn’t really the most recognizable sport, but to see all the social media attention and the university reposting our national championship picture is really, really special,” Funkhouser says. “Seeing people care about winning a national championship, but also wanting to learn more to help grow our fan base is a huge win in our book.”
Joey Squirlock, a senior starter, remembers the resolve he saw from the team when it returned to practice this year after losing seven games last year, including the final three. The Vols were on the field nearly every day preparing for their shot at redemption. The reward was an undefeated national title run.
“It’s better than I could have ever imagined. What a way to go out,” Squirlock says. “I’ve been playing with a bunch of the same guys all four years, and we’ve all been working for this. It feels amazing to have accomplished it.”