Saint Mary’s center Dylan Audsley has been named as the first-ever Rudy Scholz Award Winner as the best men’s college rugby player in the country.

The award, presented by the Washington Athletic Club of Seattle, Wash. in conjunction with Goff Rugby Report, will be formally presented at a gala event on June 11.

Audsley, a hard-running center and the main goalkicker for Saint Mary’s, led the Gaels to a DIA title last year, and is one of the reasons they are back in the semifinals this year.

“This is a great honor,” said Audsley. “ I am greatly humbled by this recognition and to be a part of this new award that I'm sure many great student athletes will be a part of. It’s all down to my teammates.”

Audsley in action for St. Mary's. Michael Geib photos.

The Scholz Award is named after Rudy Scholz, who played rugby for Santa Clara University and won two Olympic gold medals as scrumhalf for the USA team in 1920 and 1924. He served in both World War I and World War II, and played rugby into his 80s.

The Scholz Award has been created with the blessing of USA Rugby as a way to honor the best players in the country. In the fall, a panel of five was convened to select nominees for the award. That panel - Dartmouth and All American Coach Gavin Hickie, Michigan Coach Brandon Sparks, Arizona Head Coach and HS All American assistant Sean Duffy, D1A Commissioner Kevin Battle, and Goff Rugby Report Editor Alex Goff - selected a group of 12 players: 

Anthony Salaber, Cal; Bryce Campbell, Indiana; Chad Gough, Utah; Dylan Audsley, Saint Mary’s; Lorenzo Thomas, Lindenwood; Malcolm May, Penn State; Peter Malcolm, Wheeling Jesuit; Vili Toluta'u, Central Washington; Kevin Schofield, BYU; Nicholas Marmureanu, Navy; Gavan D'Amore-Morrison; Aladdin Schirmer, Central Washington.

The college rugby-playing public was then asked to vote for their choice - each team was given one vote. That vote whittled the group down to four finalists: Audsley, Thomas, D’Amore-Morrison, and May. 

The Panel then reconvened to vote for the winner.

The Scholz Award will be given each year to the top Men’s DI-level college rugby player in the country.