Bulls rugby returns 16 from 5-10-1 campaign
Cory Weekes
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: Sports
With the season's first game fast approaching, the Bulls rugby team is excited and confident about the upcoming year.
The Bulls open up their season Saturday against Colorado State in Manhattan, Kan.
Led by head coach Bill Sexton and junior team captain Aaron Loida, the Bulls, who are coming off of a 5-10-1 season, are looking to establish themselves as a contender in a tough division consisting of the University of Oklahoma, University of Nebraska, Oklahoma State University, Kansas University and Kansas State University.
Sexton said he is excited about the young group of guys he has coming in.
"I'll tell you this," Sexton said. "I have 16 guys coming back, which means we have a young team. We are looking to rebuild with a great group of talented and exciting younger guys, some of whom I am looking at to have an immediate impact on the team.
"We have several guys [who] played ball in high school and are coming to us as seasoned, skillful players. It's not every day you get a 6-foot-5, 300-pound, ex-offensive lineman or an ex-high school sprinter/wrestling star or a freshman rugby player from South Africa to come in and play for you."
In a conference consisting of all Big 12 teams, Sexton says he is setting the bar high. He not only plans to have a winning record, but also is looking at the postseason as a possibility.
"In our conference, of course Oklahoma is going to be tough," Sexton said. "But other than them, I think we can handle just about everyone else. I am looking for us to go 4-1 and make it to the next level of competition, that being the playoffs."
Junior captain Aaron Loida has similar high expectations for the team this year.
"Our goal is to get a good rhythm going early against this Colorado State team, who has played more games and looks very fit," Loida said.
"We want to be competitive, and I know if we play to our full potential, only one or two teams will give us serious problems."
The Bulls open up their season Saturday against Colorado State in Manhattan, Kan.
Led by head coach Bill Sexton and junior team captain Aaron Loida, the Bulls, who are coming off of a 5-10-1 season, are looking to establish themselves as a contender in a tough division consisting of the University of Oklahoma, University of Nebraska, Oklahoma State University, Kansas University and Kansas State University.
Sexton said he is excited about the young group of guys he has coming in.
"I'll tell you this," Sexton said. "I have 16 guys coming back, which means we have a young team. We are looking to rebuild with a great group of talented and exciting younger guys, some of whom I am looking at to have an immediate impact on the team.
"We have several guys [who] played ball in high school and are coming to us as seasoned, skillful players. It's not every day you get a 6-foot-5, 300-pound, ex-offensive lineman or an ex-high school sprinter/wrestling star or a freshman rugby player from South Africa to come in and play for you."
In a conference consisting of all Big 12 teams, Sexton says he is setting the bar high. He not only plans to have a winning record, but also is looking at the postseason as a possibility.
"In our conference, of course Oklahoma is going to be tough," Sexton said. "But other than them, I think we can handle just about everyone else. I am looking for us to go 4-1 and make it to the next level of competition, that being the playoffs."
Junior captain Aaron Loida has similar high expectations for the team this year.
"Our goal is to get a good rhythm going early against this Colorado State team, who has played more games and looks very fit," Loida said.
"We want to be competitive, and I know if we play to our full potential, only one or two teams will give us serious problems."
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