Alumni Feature: November
This month we are featuring alumna, Meghan (Haigh) Kilgore!
Graduation Year: 2010
Years playing rugby: 2007-2010
Position: Hooker
Where are you now? - After four years in Seattle, I just moved back to Ann Arbor with my husband Brett and our six-month old son Jack. Brett is a graduate student at the School of Education, and I work as a Data Scientist for Redfin. My rugby career ended after UM, but the love for weightlifting and exercising that I developed while on the team has stuck with me.
Favorite rugby moments? In 2009 we played at GVSU in the pouring rain, and naturally there were a lot of scrums. The field had about 6 inches of mud on it, and it was a shining moment for our forward pack. No one could beat our scrums that year, and we were relentless that day. It was so much fun, and we won against GVSU for the first time in many years. A copy of the match report for that game was hanging on my wall for the next year.
Advice for current ruggers? Take your fitness seriously, especially your flexibility. You'll be less likely to get injured if you are strong and flexible. More importantly, support your teammates and take care of each other. Anyone can learn to be good at rugby (even former ballet dancers like yours truly), so be helpful and encouraging to new rookies. Be kind to your teammates, uplift each other and work hard together.