PCOM RFC Established 1973

HISTORY OF PCOM RUGBY

Founded in Fall 1973, the inaugural rugby team was made up of 40 first, second and third year medical students at PCOM. The team was coached by four second year students, Tim Young 1976, who learned and coached the game at West Point; Tom Trosko 1976 (wing coach); Vincent Acamparo 1976 (who was also match secretary); and Ira Spitzer 1976, who doubled as treasurer. The Rugby Team fielded two sides and finished with 4 wins and 4 losses overall against such opponents as Temple Medical School, Villanova Law School, St. Joseph's College and a City Medical team made up of Hahnemann and Jefferson Medical School students.

In the Spring of 1974, PCOM RFC started the legacy of winning by capturing first place in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union (EPRU) College Tournament. The winning tradition continued when the PCOM ruggers were named champions of the EPRU Graduate Schools Division for the three straight years - 1979, 1980, 1981. The club also captured the First Annual Michelob Invitational Rugby Tournament in 1981 by beating professional school rugby clubs from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and New York. PCOM Rugby won the Eastern Rugby Union (ERU) Graduate School Championship in 1983 and 1987, including wins over Life Chiropractic - a national rugby powerhouse. In spring 1985, PCOM Rugby made its first foray into international competition going 1-1 against the Freeport Bahamas Rugby team. In 1988, the team posted a 7-0 record and captured another EPRU Graduate School Division Championship. In 1995, PCOM RFC traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to take part in the 25th Mardi Gras Festival. The squad of 25 toppled the large school foes including Mississippi State, Louisiana State and Memphis State to take the title in the Collegiate Division.

After the EPRU Graduate School Division dissolved, PCOM RFC remained competitive in Men's Club Division 3 and Division 4.

PCOM FOSSILS were born in 2007, as 23 came out of retirement and took part in Old Boy XVs at the 31st Annual Fort Lauderdale Ruggerfest. The Old Boy movement has continued with participation in the Surfside 7s in Stone Harbor, NJ. In 2014, PCOM RFC rejoined the EPRU as PCOM FOSSILS - a 7s only team.

The FOSSILS look to preserve and continue the tradition of 40 years of PCOM Rugby.