This summer, 40 student-athletes from the UCSC Men’s and Women’s Rugby programs will travel to New Zealand for an immersive international experience combining rugby, education, leadership development, and cultural exchange. In partnership with the University of Waikato, the Waikato Chiefs, and Inside Running Rugby Academy, students and coaches will train within one of the world’s most respected rugby environments while engaging with New Zealand’s rich cultural and sporting traditions.

The program blends high-performance rugby training, academic opportunities in sports science and athlete development, and experiential learning through competition, coaching, and cultural exploration. Participants will train with elite coaches, compete in international matches, and explore iconic destinations including Rotorua, Waitomo, Auckland, and Hobbiton. For many of our students—especially first-generation college students—this will be their first opportunity to travel internationally and experience global learning firsthand.

This initiative is about far more than rugby. It is designed to develop confident leaders, expand educational horizons, strengthen coaching and mentorship within UCSC Rugby, and build lasting international partnerships that will benefit Slug Rugby for years to come. Support for this project helps make these transformative opportunities accessible to our student-athletes while investing in the continued growth of one of the fastest-growing collegiate rugby communities in the country.

Funds raised through this campaign support the Rugby New Zealand trip collectively. Individual student fundraising totals reflect participation and community support, but do not designate funds directly to individual students or their travel costs.