The University of Minnesota – Duluth has announced the recipients of its Bob Pratt Memorial Scholarship.

Bob Pratt brought the game of rugby to Duluth in 1975. The Albert Lea, Minn. Native played football during his early high school years but then discovered the game of rugby. He was immediately mesmerized by the contact, excitement, and camaraderie of the game.

He played at Minnesota-Duluth and not only played, but was a jolt of energy for the program as a recruiter. His energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the sport was infectious. Soon the Fighting Penguins of Duluth were born. Bob Pratt was the genesis for what exists today as a strong college rugby club, rich with heritage and true leadership; an organization that makes Duluth proud to be the home of the Fighting Penguins.

Bob Prett died in May, 2011 of cancer. This scholarship fund was formed in his memory.

Bob Pratt Scholarship Winners

$500.00 Lars Anderson. A Duluth native, Anderson is in his second year at UMD majoring in Social Studies Education with an Outdoor Recreation minor. He played four years of high school rugby for the North Shore Rugby Club. He was a member of the Minnesota Select Side U19 teams in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, he was part of the U19 Minnesota Selects team  that won the Rocky Mountain Challenge in Aurora, Colorado. Lars was also selected to the Minnesota College Select Side in 2012. 

$500.00 Logan Hanson. From Hopkins, MInn. Hanson is majoring in Physical Education. He played as a youth in Hopkins and then for Hopkins HS, and was on the Minnesota U17 and Minnesota U19 select sides. Logan was a member of the Minnesota College Selects in 2012. 

$1000.00 Trevor Matheny. From Park Rapids, Minn., Matheny is majoring in both Secondary Education and German. He started his rugby career at UMD and has been a member of the Fighting Penguins for 4 years. 

The University of Minnesota-Duluth Fighting Penguins won the Northern Lights Conference fall 2012 with a 6-1 record. They have earned an automatic bid into the 2013 Collegiate D-II Rugby National Championship Tournament.

This past weekend, UMD was proud to see an alumnus, Graham Harriman, earn his first cap for the USA when he ran on as a sub for the USA in their victory over Romania in Bucharest.