Mike Sims, a 21-year-old Idaho State rugby player, died Monday after collapsing Saturday afternoon during a match against Oregon’s Club rugby team at Southbank field. It was the team’s second and last match of the day.
Oregon’s Club Sports Coordinator Sandy Vaughn said Sims collapsed after a play, and Oregon’s athletic trainer immediately called for emergency support. Sims was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Medical Center and was listed in critical condition. He remained at Sacred Heart and was taken off life support Monday afternoon. He died shortly thereafter.
Vaughn said these type of incidents rarely occur, but when they do it takes the importance and the meaning of teammates to a whole different level.
“This definitely brings a student group together to support each other,” Vaughn said. “It is such an unusual occurrence that most of us rarely would have to deal with such a grave situation. It really makes us value each other as team members,” Vaughn said.
Oregon rugby players would not comment on Sims’ death.

Finally
Oregon’s Club ice hockey team finally found what it had been looking for all season: a win.
On Friday, the Ducks won their first game of the season against Stanford. Oregon, after going 0-16 in league play before last weekend’s contest, beat the Cardinal, 13-4, in Palo Alto, Calif.
Going into Saturday’s game, Oregon felt confident about its chances against Stanford.
“This was a pretty big game for us,” Oregon’s Ben Greenberg said. “Both teams expected a lot out of each other and since we had seen their past scores, we knew we were capable of beating them.”
Although the Ducks won by nine goals, Stanford dominated the first period and scored the first goal of the game. Stanford’s one-goal lead would be its last as the Ducks scored the next three goals of the game and capitalized on their offensive momentum. Oregon’s next goals came only minutes apart. Forward Ben Ziegler spearheaded Oregon’s attack and had a career night, recording a seven-point game.
“… We had a lot of energy and a will to win,” Greenberg said.
The Ducks faced the Cardinal again on their second night of action. Instead of running away with the lead, the Ducks found themselves trailing by two goals at the end of the first period. Oregon came back in the second period and finished the game with their second win on the road, 8-7.