2023-24 Kevin Higgins College Scholarship Recipient: Dylan Saucedo
After a 10-year baseball career, Dylan Saucedo saw an opportunity to use his speed for something else besides stealing bases. At 14, he began his rugby career with the Granite Bay Rugby Middle School team, advancing to the NorCal state final in his first season. After the completion of his first season, he was driven to pursue a collegiate rugby career. In 2020, he attended his first Eagle Impact Rugby Academy Winter Camp and returned in 2021. Saucedo competed with Rhino Rugby Academy in competitive matches against powerhouses like Belmont Shore, USA Panthers South, and Herriman High. His determination to gain exposure to a higher level of play led him to the high school national championships.
“Although not a starter on the team, Dylan quickly became a leader and was an integral part of the team winning the 2022 National Championships. Dylan is very competitive. He has very high standards for himself and his teammates. As an athlete, it is obvious that he not only strives to win but enjoys the sport in its true form. During the season, Dylan was asked on several occasions to perform at a position that he normally doesn’t play. He did so without complaining or questioning the coaching staff’s decision making. He excelled at these new positions because he took on the challenge, trained hard, and had a positive attitude throughout the whole process. Dylan always placed the team and their needs over his own aspirations and personal goals. He exemplifies sacrifice and selflessness,” said Christopher Miller, Director of Granite Bay Rugby.
Saucedo attended Casa Roble Fundamental High School in Orangevale, California. He served as student body president, assisting with the budget and representing his peers at school district board meetings. He was involved in Link Crew, which helps guide the freshman class through their first year in high school. He was also captain of the Casa Roble Varsity Football team, earning CIF GEL All-League Academic Team honors in 2021. Outside of school, he was involved in the Orangevale Teen Council, a Non-Profit organization that brings middle school and high school students together to plan events within the community.
He will continue his education at the University of Utah. While playing for the Utes, he aspires to become team captain and lead the team to the top of the D1A conference. He intends to study business to support the rugby-based multimedia platform and podcast he has created. He is passionate about growing the game of rugby in the United States, saying, “As an athlete, going on tour to Ireland in April 2022 showed me that the U.S. hasn’t come close to the true tradition or spotlight of rugby by any means. To witness firsthand, high school clubs that have their own field complex and a clubhouse, with the stands packed for matches and the media all over the place, motivated me to create the same atmosphere in my home country.”
