UCLA Men’s Rugby Scholarships

UCLA Men’s Rugby Alumni created scholarships to honor the memory of former players James Shandorf (2011) and Matt Finzen (2010), teammates and friends who left us too soon. The Shandorf scholarship is awarded to one forward per year, and the Finzen scholarship is awarded to one back per year. The scholarship covers one year’s player dues. The awards are announced at the team’s annual Hall of Fame banquet, traditionally held during the Dennis Storer tournament every January.

Scholarship winners are selected by Head Coach Harry Bennett based on how well each player represents James and Matt’s mentality:

● Tenacity: The chosen player shows grit and determination on and off the field. He never gives up on plays, and is committed to academic success regardless of obstacles/challenges.

● Team-first mentality: The chosen player puts the team over himself- he’s not out to win MVP, he’s out to win championships.

● Leadership: The chosen player leads from the front. He shows up on time, works hard, and sets the bar for his teammates.

● Off-field excellence: The chosen player performs well not just on the field, but in the classroom as well. The minimum GPA to quality for either scholarship is 3.4. For the Finzen scholarship, special considerations will be given to those players who are pursuing higher education in the medical and/or dental fields.