Christian Olney

Indiana wing/fullback Christian Olney played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented the NOLA Gold for his entire MLR career.

A native of Fort Wayne, IN, Christian Olney attended Ohio State University and represented the Buckeyes Men’s Rugby team while enrolled there, securing a Big10 Championship in 2021. Upon graduating, Olney declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd Round, 27th Overall by the NOLA Gold.

Olney spent the fall of 2022 with the NOLA Gold academy side in the ARP, and earned an MLR contract for the 2023 season but did not feature. Instead, he was selected to join the USA Hawks development side in Charlotte for an 8-game exhibition season from March-April 2023. Following the MLR season, he again played with the NOLA Gold academy for their 2023 ARP season in the Fall, but did not return to the Gold for their MLR campaign in 2024.

Olney has been playing DII club level rugby for Columbus Rugby back in Ohio since 2024.

Achievements
  • 2022 MLR Draftee – 3rd Round (27th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,630

Alex Balladares

Maryland prop Alex Balladares played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A native of Silver Spring, MD, Alex Balladares attended Queen’s University of Charlotte where he played rugby during his studies. Upon graduation, he declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and took part in The Rugby Showcase combine. This paid off as he was selected in the 2nd Round, 26th Overall by Old Glory DC.

Balladares spent the Fall of 2022 with the Old Glory DC academy side and White Plains RFC in the ARP, earning an MLR contract with the Flags for their 2023 MLR campaign. He suited up for Old Glory DC in the MLR Pre-season against Rugby New York and the Toronto Arrows, and trained with the team for the entire year, but did not appear at MLR level during the regular season.

Following the 2023 MLR season, it seems that Balladares stepped away from rugby for a while, and NARDB is unsure if this is due to injury or another factor. He next pops up playing D1 rugby with Maryland’s Rocky Gorge Rugby Club in the fall of 2024, before joining the Old Glory DC academy side and splitting his playing time between there and Rocky Gorge in early 2025.

achievements
  • 2022 MLR Draftee – 2nd Round (26th Overall) – Old Glory DC

NARDB Player #1,629

Neal Moylett

Irish back row Neal Moylett played in Major League Rugby during the 2024 season. He represented the Seattle Seawolves for his entire MLR career.

A native of Ballina in County Mayo, Ireland, Neal Moylett was introduced to rugby at Ballina RFC at the age of 4. He progressed through the Ballina age-grade sides and represented the senior team in the All-Ireland League, and played with the Connacht U19s and Connacht A from 2016-2019, as well as representing the Ireland U19s in 2018. In 2019, Moylett moved to Dublin to attend UCD, playing with the Lansdowne RFC U20s and the senior team in D1A of the All-Ireland League before heading across to the United States to study at Lindenwood University in 2021.

Moylett played with the Lindenwood Lions for a year and declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft where he was selected in the 2nd Round, 25th Overall by the Seattle Seawolves. Instead of entering MLR however, he chose to return to Lindenwood and was named Captain for their 2022/23 season. Following his graduation, Moylett joined Mystic River Rugby Club in the Fall of 2023 and played in the ARP before the Seattle Seawolves re-signed him for their 2024 season, although he did not feature at MLR level.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,628

Nolan Buckley

Massachusetts back row Nolan Buckley played in Major League Rugby between 2023-2024. He represented the Dallas Jackals (2023) and the New England Free Jacks (2024).

A native of North Attleboro, MA, Nolan Buckley studied plastics engineering at the University of Massachusetts – Lowell. Upon his graduation, Buckley declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and took part in the Rugby Showcase that year, catching the eye of the Dallas Jackals who drafted him in the 2nd Round, 23rd Overall, and signed him for the 2023 MLR season. He remains the only MLR draftee from UMass Lowell.

Buckley spent his rookie season in Dallas, but did not feature at MLR level during a tough inaugural season for the Jackals. Following the MLR season he returned hope to Massachusetts and played at club level with Mystic River Rugby Club in the ARP before signing as a development player with the New England Free Jacks for their 2024 MLR campaign, but did not feature during their successful title defence that year.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,627

Greg Janowick

Illinois native Greg Janowick played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented the Utah Warriors for his entire MLR career.

A native of Barrington, IL, Greg Janowick attended the University of Tennessee, playing rugby with the Vols during his time there. He declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd Round, 18th Overall by the Utah Warriors. Through the 2025 draft, Janowick remains the only University of Tennessee player ever drafted into Major League Rugby.

The Utah Warriors signed Janowick for his rookie season in 2023, which he spent with the team but did not feature at MLR level.

achievements
  • 2022 MLR Draftee – 2nd Round (18th Overall) – Utah Warriors

NARDB Player #1,626

Kyle Fulton

Californian winger Kyle Fulton played in Major League Rugby during the 2023 season. He represented the Dallas Jackals for his entire MLR career.

A native of Conte Madera, CA, Kyle Fulton attended the University of Arizona, playing with the Wildcats while there and representing the USA U23s in 2021. Fulton declared for the 2022 MLR Collegiate Draft upon his graduation and was selected in the 2nd Round, 14th Overall by the Dallas Jackals, who then signed him for their inaugural season in 2023.

Although under contract by the Jackals, Fulton was included on the roster for the newly established USA Hawks development side (essentially a new-look USA U23s) for their 8-game exhibition season in early 2023. This ruled him out of much of the MLR season and as a result, he did not appear for the Jackals at MLR level.

Achievements

NARDB Player #1,625

Brandon Asbel

Michigan hooker Brandon Asbel was drafted in the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft. He was selected in the 3rd Round (33rd Overall) by the Austin Gilgronis.

A native of Brighton, MI, Asbel attended Davenport University and played rugby during his time there. He declared for the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 3rd Round (33rd Overall) by the Austin Gilgronis. Absel spent his rookie season with the Austin’s academy side, the AG Outlaws. He did not feature at MLR level, but played club rugby with the Chicago Lions between 2022-2024.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,624

Carmen Consolino

Wisconsin half-back Carmen Consolino was drafted in the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft. He was selected in the 3rd Round (30th Overall) by the NOLA Gold.

A native of Elkhorn, WI, American International College product Carmen Consolino spent the Fall of 2021 with the NOLA Gold before the team traded him to the Dallas Jackals in the early days of MLR’s 2022 season in exchange for 2022 Salary Cap Considerations (unknown). Consolino did not end up signing with the Dallas Jackals, and has not appeared at MLR level although he did play with the Chicago Hounds academy during the Fall of 2023.

Outside of MLR, Consolino has played in the PR7s with the Loonies in 2021, and has played with the Invictus 7s, Green Bay Celtics, and the Midwest Rugby Barbarians among others. He also coaches rugby across Wisconsin including with the Wisconsin Badgers Youth program, and the University of Wisconsin Whitewater Men’s Rugby team.

Achievements
  • MLR Draftee: 2021 – 3rd Round (30th Overall) – NOLA Gold

NARDB Player #1,623

Ethan Scott

Tennessee scrumhalf Ethan Scott was drafted in the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft. He was selected in the 3rd Round (29th Overall) by the Seattle Seawolves.

A University of Memphis alum, Scott was unsigned by the Seattle Seawolves ahead of the 2022 MLR season. Instead, he spent his rookie season with the Houston SaberCats’ academy side, Rugby HTX. Although he was drafted Scott never featured at MLR level, and has been playing at club level with the Memphis Blues.

achievements

NARDB Player #1,622

Thomas Capriotti

Pennsylvania hooker Thomas Capriotti played in Major League Rugby during the 2022 MLR season. He represented Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career.

A native of New Hope, PA, Thomas Capriotti attended Penn State, playing rugby throughout his time there. He declared for the 2021 MLR Collegiate Draft and was selected in the 2nd Round, 18th Overall by the San Diego Legion. Capriotti did not end up signing with the Legion for his rookie season however, and instead spent the preseason with Old Glory DC before suffering a season-ending injury before getting the chance to earn his MLR debut.

Achievements

NARDB Player #1,621