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Alums awe all in attendance. Cap commencement clash with 69-31 victory.

Ryan Grant | Brown Men's Rugby | May 25, 2026

The alums dominated with a 69-31 victory over the undergrads.

Brown Men’s Rugby held its commencement match and awards ceremony on the Berylson Family Fields on Saturday, May 23rd, under cloudy skies that foreshadowed the rain to come on Sunday, leaving the graduates soaked through their caps and gowns, but in great spirits nonetheless. The Alumni team resumed their winning ways in emphatic fashion, after losing a thriller in overtime to the undergrads in 2025, rolling to a 69-31 win behind a dazzling performance from Duncan Grant '22 and a spirited effort from the undergrads, who kept attacking until the final whistle. The decisive edge came from the alumni group’s finishing power, with Grant producing five tries and four conversions for 45 points, a total that exceeded the undergrads’ team score on his own.

The first minute of the match was remarkable for the teams combining for half a dozen kicks in that time. It took nearly a full minute before everyone remembered that tackling is allowed in rugby. The second tackle of the game was an incident of friendly fire as an alum tackled one of their own teammates, apparently anxious to get their first hit in and calibrate defensively. Then the scoring started, and never let up. At 1:40, Grant broke loose on a long run from midfield for the opening try, then added the conversion for a 7-0 lead. William Zeller '23 followed at 5:30 with a bruising carry through two defenders on the goal line, converted by Sean Lumkong '21, before the undergrads answered at 8:45 when Garett Mann '26 chased down a long kick and touched it down. Kaspar Pitblado’s '26 conversion cut the margin to 14-7, but the alumni side responded with a ruthless stretch. Grant struck again on an interception at 13:00, Lumkong beat his defender with a sharp dummy for another try at 16:30, and Grant completed a kick-and-chase finish at 18:00 to push the alumni lead to 33-7.

Brown’s undergrad side still showed plenty of spark before halftime. Schwab G'26 delivered one of the day’s most memorable plays at 20:00, catching a kick in stride and touching it down in the corner in one motion on a highlight-reel chase. That score sent the match into the break with the alumni ahead 33-12, but the undergrads had already shown they could create dangerous moments in open space.

Duncan Grant '22 (probably)

Unfortunately, my brother Malcolm ('27) took a semester abroad just so he wouldn't have to face me in this match. When he's back next year, I'm going for 50 points.

The second half opened with more alumni pressure, as Joe Al-Hasso scored just 40 seconds in from a penalty tap & go play, and Jack Elliott converted. Yet the undergrads kept producing quality passages of their own. Craig Michalowski '26, who led the undergrad team with two tries, got on the board at 5:00 on a well-executed pin-and-pass sequence from Fred Hughes G'26. Pitblado converted to make it 40-19. After Grant answered again off a Jon Kim '22 interception, the undergrads delivered another excellent combination at 8:20, with co-captain Pitblado finishing on a graceful swan dive after a skillful pass from co-captain Henrique Gabriel '26, who impressed in his debut at fullback. Gabriel added the conversion, trimming the score to 47-26.

The alumni side seized control again through set-piece and territory. Al-Hasso powered over from an 8-man pick off a 5-meter attacking scrum at 10:00, and later Dirk "Benedict Arnold" Pitblado G'26, labeled a "traitor" by many after switching teams because of the lopsided scoreline, finished a try created by an alumni defensive turnover. One of the best buildups of the afternoon came at 16:45, when Zeller launched a massive 50:22 kick that flipped the field by more than 70 meters. From the ensuing close-range possession, Jon Kim supplied the pass and Grant finished once more, then converted for a 64-26 advantage. Kim added a late try in the corner at 18:15.

Michalowski made sure the final word belonged to the undergrads, scoring in the corner at 19:15 for Brown’s last try of the day and underlining his dynamic two-way performance. Even with time expired, the undergrads pushed for one more score, fueled by another long carry off the kickoff from Michalowski that brought the ball from deep in their own end out toward midfield. The last surge ended when Mann decided everyone had played enough rugby for the day and knocked the ball on, bringing an entertaining, high-scoring afternoon to a close. For Brown Men’s Rugby, it was the kind of commencement match that celebrated both the alumni firepower and the undergrads’ resilience.

Vinh Legros '26 and Tony Zhao '26 are all smiles in the middle of this maul

Nico Eaton '26 takes on Duncan Grant '22 with Jimmy Phelan '26 and Henrique Gabriel '26 in support

Following the match, all in attendance gathered for lunch, refreshments, and to celebrate the Brown Men's Rugby graduating class of 2026. This group has no shortage of accolades to its credit, including NCR Division 1 National Championships in 2022 and 2024, 4 consecutive Liberty Conference championships, 4 consecutive Ivy League championships, and 3 consecutive Ivy League 7s championships. In XVs, over their 4 years, this group had a 44-2 record, for a winning percentage of 95.7%. They never lost a regular-season match, never lost at home, and never finished ranked lower than 6th in the country, finishing 3rd in 2023 and 6th in 2025. In 7s, their record was 74-11, winning 87% of their matches, and they finished in the top ten nationally in 2024 (5th) and 2025 (9th). Overall, they amassed 118 wins against only 13 losses, winning more than 90% of the time they took the field in any format.

The Class of 2026: Tobias Achleitner, Finley Brown G'26, Daijin Dorsey-Reyes, Nico Eaton, Jack Forgione, Henrique Gabrield Da Silva, Alfred Hughes G'26, Martin "Tripp" King G'26, Vinh Legros, Batisse Manhardt, Garett Mann, Cameron McAlpine, Craig Michalowski, Hugo Mullen, Milo O'Donahue, James Phelan, Dirk Pitblado, Kaspar Pitblado G'26, Matthew Schwab, Tony Zhao

Head Coach David Laflamme

This class accomplished so much during their time here and was a huge part of building this program into a perennial contender. They will be missed and thought of fondly. Today was a great day to celebrate their achievements, reconnect with our beloved alumni, and appreciate all of the support from the family and friends of Brown rugby.

As is tradition, several graduates were recognized with the club's annual awards.

Kaspar Pitblado was awarded the Linton A. "Jay" Fluck coaches award. Awarded annually to the player, through his desire, effort, and team play, contributes the most to the rugby program, to the game of rugby, and exemplifies the true spirit of the game.

Tony Zhao was with the Martin Henry "Tinry" Dawson award, which is presented to the senior who has contributed to the Brown Rugby Club through his intensity and enthusiasm on the field and his love of the game. This award was created in the spring of 1995 by family and friends to honor and celebrate the life of Martin Henry “Tinry” Dawson, Class of 1994. While Tinry’s love of athletics and competition fueled his success on the rugby field, it was his selflessness and humor that touched so many.

Jack Forgione and Kaspar Pitblado were selected by their teammates as recipients of the Class of '91 Award. Established to promote the success of Brown Rugby for player integrity and teamwork, taking into consideration the qualities of dedication, contribution to leadership, and good humor.