OHIO CITY, OH - Rising senior Marcello Woodberry has received a special honor as he was named to Team USA's U18 squad for their tour to Argentina and Uruguay. From June 30 to July 14, Woodberry will play international rugby, representing the Red, White, and Blue.
"After our State Championship match against St. Edward, our forward's coach [Tim] Broffman '07 began giving a speech and told our team this happens when hard work pays off," explains Woodberry. "He announced that I was invited to the U18 team, which was a special moment for me. I am grateful to God for this opportunity."
Saint Ignatius Rugby has recently seen a handful of guys earn honors to compete internationally. Most recently, Ed Soeder '23 was selected to play in the Netherlands, and Connor Bender '25 earned a scholarship to Nelson City, New Zealand. Woodberry etches his name with the honor of playing U18 for Team USA.
"Seeing the kids take full advantage of these opportunities is special," says Head Rugby Coach Dan Arbeznik '00. "Rugby is not readily available on television, but when you get into the other perks, like traveling internationally, seeing our guys jump on these opportunities is gratifying."
Rugby was a brand new sport for Woodberry when he came to campus as a freshman. His older brother, Roscoe '23, began playing the sport, so Woodberry decided to try it, learning everything he could about it during his freshman and sophomore year.
After his sophomore season, Woodberry saw his peers playing on the varsity side, and he wanted to be playing with them. That is when Woodberry decided to join the wrestling team in the winter of the 2024-25 season. "Wrestling is a tough sport, and it is physically and mentally demanding," Woodberry explains. "With wrestling, I felt like I could find a new mindset, which carried over to rugby because I wanted to be the best."
Woodberry opened the 2025 season on the (b-side) of the varsity squad, but it wouldn't be long until the gold-side coaches gave Woodberry a chance for the top level of rugby at Saint Ignatius.
He would earn his first Varsity Gold (a-side) start on Saturday, April 26, against Gonzaga (DC). "Coach Broffman came up to me with the idea of putting Marcello in to eat 15-20 minutes on the pitch, and then we would rotate in a regular starter," says Arbeznik. "After that match against Gonzaga, he never let go of that position."
For Woodberry, a match that stood out the most to him came on Saturday, April 12, when the Wildcats faced the number one team in the country, the Xavier (NY) Knights. "I really wanted to play in that game, and I got in at the end for maybe five minutes, but I had a nice hit that felt great," Woodberry explains. "I didn't think I played that well, but coaches kept coming up to me and telling me how well I played."
Woodberry would be named to the National Tournament roster for the Wildcats May 22-25 in Elkhart, Indiana. After escaping with a gritty 24-17 victory over Greenwich (CT) and a decisive 31-12 win over Notre Dame de La Salette (IL), the Wildcats returned to the National Championship, where they would play the Herriman (UT) Mustangs.
In what was a dog fight throughout, the Wildcats came away with a 20-17 victory, claiming the program's second-ever National Championship. Woodberry would be named Match-MVP for his outstanding play in the forward position.
"What Marcello did for us this season should be inspirational for the rest of our guys. He may not be the biggest player on the field, but he is out there tackling 200-plus-pound guys," Arbeznik notes. "Tactically, he is very good with a great head on his shoulders, and we are thrilled to have him back next year."
"The reason we won that National Championship is because everyone did their job, to me, everyone was MVP in that match," Woodberry adds. "I play on a team with so much talent and guys hungry to win."
Woodberry will head to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Monday, June 30, to begin practice with Team USA's U18 squad. During his time with Team USA, he will compete in Argentina and Uruguay.
"What I am looking forward to the most is getting better," explains Woodberry. "I want to take what I learn this summer and bring it back to compete for another National Title."
In the Spring of this year, Woodberry participated in the Wildcat Rugby tour in Spain, playing a pair of matches between Granada and Ciencias. "I don't think any of our guys get a big head when they go on and play internationally," Arbeznik says. "This is a cool element of the program, is the travel, and we have come a long way to make this a reality for our guys."
