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Student Leader of the Month

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Overview

The Student Leader of the Month program recognizes student-athletes who go above and beyond in both leadership and community service efforts. We are looking for student-athletes who not only lead on the pitch, but are making a positive impact off the pitch.

Nominate a Student Leader of the Month

Archives:2022

February

Joel Casingal

NCR and Rugbee.co proudly highlight Joel Casingal as the recipient of February's Student Leader of the Month award. Casingal, a senior chemistry major and a premedical student, has been playing rugby for the past decade since he started in 7th grade. Currently, he plays scrumhalf for the Villanova University Men’s Rugby team.

During his time at Villanova, Casingal has exhibited strong leadership qualities, holding positions such as match secretary in 2022, president in 2023, and captain for the 2022-2023 season. Additionally, he is actively involved in Villanova’s Service Learning Community, where he has served as co-chair for the past two years.

Casingal dedicates his time to volunteering with organizations such as “Back on My Feet,” which focuses on combating homelessness through fitness and community support. He also organized volunteer opportunities for the Villanova team at the university’s Special Olympics competition. Apart from his volunteer work, Casingal is heavily involved in helping to coach and run practices for the team.

A teammate who nominated Casingal said, “He is the most inclusive leader of any organization I’ve ever been a part of. The culture of Villanova rugby welcomes anybody and everybody no matter who you are, and this is mainly thanks to Joel.”

November

Lindsay Foster - East Stroudsburg University

NCR and Rugbee.co are proud to recognize Lindsay Foster as November’s Student Leader of the Month. Foster is the current captain and President of the East Stroudsburg Women's Rugby club. She is a senior majoring in Exercise Science and minoring in Sport and Exercise Psychology. 

When the season for the East Stroudsburg Women's Rugby team started coachless, Foster, with the help of her vice president and co-captain, stepped up to fill the role. They organized the club, trained new players, and effectively filled the coaching role until a suitable replacement was found. This experience allowed Foster to discover her voice as a leader and apply it both on and off the pitch.

Beyond her on-field dedication, Foster organizes fundraisers twice a semester to support the team and community causes. She leads the team in volunteering at a local women's shelter and is currently planning "The Hidden Opponent," a game aimed at raising awareness about student-athlete mental health.

Nominated by her teammates, they had nothing but kind words to say about their President and captain. “Lindsay’s leadership motivates our club in numerous ways. She inspires us to improve as individuals and become in touch with our community. As one of the most experienced players on our team, she works with us with patience and passion in the art of rugby.”

October

Ian Stadelmaier - University of Maryland

NCR and Rugbee.co are proud to recognize Ian Stadelmaier as October’s Student Leader of the Month. Stadelmaier is the current captain and President of the University of Maryland Rugby Football Club. He is a senior majoring in Kinesiology and minoring in Business within the Honors College. 

Stadelmaier started his rugby career in high school, playing for Baltimore Poly Rugby. In addition to being the club President, Stadelmaier is also the Spring tour coordinator and leads team fitness sessions outside of practice. 

Nominated by his coach, Jeff Soeken says, “He is a constant supply of energy in all tasks, large or small. As a long time coach, I often forget to praise the good leaders. He makes all the coaches' experiences with the team better and motivates us.”

This March, Stadelmaier is helping to plan a team trip to Spain. The team will be practicing and scrimmaging with local clubs in Madrid and Barcelona. This is the first time any club sport from the University of Maryland has traveled overseas. This tour will give the team a chance to see a new culture and country through the sport of rugby.

September

Hannah Timm - University of Wisconsin Stout

NCR and Rugbee.co are proud to recognize Hannah Timm as September’s Student Leader of the Month. Timm is the President of the University of Wisconsin-Stout Women's Rugby team. She is a Junior majoring in Family and Consumer Science Education.

Timm started playing rugby her freshman year, and despite not having enough players for a full 15s team during her first two years, the team was able to scrimmaged other teams in their conference. During the 2023 spring 7s season, Timm and her team recruited heavily on campus and they were able to play in a few tournaments. The team now has over 20 dedicated players and are playing in Great Water’s first Festival Tournament. Timm is excited to see the program continue to grow in the years to come. She is committed to building a strong presence for Stout Women's Rugby in the Midwest. Timm has also started a mentorship program within the club, maintaining a relationship with alumni, and keeping the team involved with community outreach. 

Teammates of Timm spoke very highly of their President. “Hannah has created a welcoming, inclusive, and positive environment so that every single person who joined the team last year has returned. Hannah’s leadership is a powerful force of motivation for her teammates and coaches every day. She is the catalyst for the unprecedented growth of Stout rugby.” 

In addition to playing for Stout, Timm has also played with college and senior level teams from all over in various tournaments. She has also had the privilege of playing with the Great Water's All-Star small college team and Wisconsin Selects in 2023.