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St. Bonaventure University

Three Bonnies taken in Major League Rugby Draft; Ricky Rose selected first overall

Aug 18, 2023

Rose, Pen and Hawthorne
Three members of the St. Bonaventure University rugby team were selected Thursday night in the Major League Rugby Draft, including Ricky Rose, selected No. 1 overall by the expansion Miami Sharks.

Juan Pen was taken in the second round (16th overall) by the Chicago Hounds and Joe Hawthorne was selected in the third round (38th) by the San Diego Legion. All three are 2023 graduates of SBU.

Only Lindenwood University had more players (four) selected in the three-round draft. 

Their selections come a year after Sebastiano Villani, ’22, was taken second overall in the MLR Draft by the NOLA Gold.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. St. Bonaventure was named the #5 regional university value in the North in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 college rankings edition.

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