Rio rugby standouts earn recognition, All-Star honors

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - Four members of the University of Rio Grande rugby team recently enjoyed the spoils of their respective Fall 15s season for the RedStorm.
     Junior Sunny Staffieri (Lostwithel, England) and sophomore Tristan Price (Johannesburg, South Africa) were both named to the All-Big Rivers Rugby Conference team.
     The duo helped lead head coach Brad Sandig's squad to victories over the University of Michigan and Indiana Tech during the course of its regular season schedule.
     Rio Grande also routed Ohio State University in a post-season friendly.
     Staffieri and Price, along with sophomore Jacob Griffin (Surrey, England) and sophomore Luke Turner (Eastbourne, England), were also selected to participate in National Collegiate Rugby's 2026 Men's All-Star Tournament earlier this month at Silverbacks Park in Atlanta, Ga.
     Staffieri was named a member of the Great Lakes Region All-Star team, while Price, Griffin and Turner were members of the Rising Stars East team.
     All-Stars represented the top college rugby players from eight regions across the U.S. and were nominated by coaches, commissioners and All-Star team scouts for their regular season play.
     Rising Stars were comprised of the up and coming stars of first year and sophomore athletes and represented four regions - North, East, South, and West.
     Staffieri's team posted a 2-1 record in the tourney.
     The trio's team also went 2-1 in its three tourney games. Turner had a try and a conversion in the East's 43-10 rout of the South squad.