Name: Thomas O'Brien

Graduating Class: 2021

Major: Civil Engineering

UC Davis Rugby Position(s): Flyhalf, Center, Fullback

Why did you choose to attend UC Davis? I loved the openness of the campus and the smaller town of Davis in general. The fact that you can bike anywhere and all the essentials are close by was a big plus. I also loved all the different clubs, majors, and educational/academic opportunities that Davis offered.

What was the recruitment process like for you? I was able to get in contact with the club president at the time and meet at one of the downtown coffee shops during one of my trips to tour the campus. We sat and talked for a little about the club and what it’s like at college.

What are your favorite parts about being a member of the UC Davis rugby program? I love being able to connect with all sorts of people coming out to play rugby whether it be freshman who have never played before or graduates students going on six years at school. UC Davis rugby is a great way to make friends and have fun while at the same time satisfying the itch I have to really train hard and compete at a high level of the sport.

What are your favorite parts about being a student at UC Davis? I like being at a campus and in a town that doesn’t feel cramped or busy. Although it is a big school with lots of people I found it easy to find a place and group of friends that I like and feel close to. The campus offers a lot of opportunities to be active and part of something.

How do you balance schoolwork and rugby? I have been playing sports throughout my life and find that managing school work and practice is like anything else you plan for in life. Your going to have to plan for the things you want to do in life so I just add rugby practice to the list along with when I’ll eat, when I have class, when I’ll do homework, and when I’ll workout.

What does a typical day and/or week look like for you? A typical week involves biking to class through downtown, studying and doing homework at the CoHo, biking back home to get ready for practice that night. Then that weekend I’ll usually drive a short two hours to the mountains to swim at a lake near Tahoe or just stay local at putah creek. I also like to enjoy the rec pool, or some climbing at the ARC, or getting some guys together to play touch.

What's the biggest challenge about playing rugby at UC Davis? Being a club and competing with some other big varsity sport rugby teams in the D1A conference is pretty challenging. The weeks going into those games is a challenge but it’s fun to compete with the best.

Besides rugby, what else are you involved in on campus? Some rock climbing at the arc

Is there anything you'd like to share with a high school player who is interested in UC Davis? I would say to join rugby. If you’ve been playing sports all your life and want to stay competitive and have something to get motivated by or if you’ve never played anything, then joining rugby or any other club would be a great place to start. You can make friends, have a group to hangout with, and getting outside the dorms is always good.