Maryland native Cory Gilliland-Daniel played in Major League Rugby between 2020-2024. He has represented his local MLR side, Old Glory DC for his entire MLR career, signing with them ahead of their inaugural season in 2020 but he did not appear at MLR level before the season was cancelled after 5 games due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniel earned his MLR debut in 2021, and finished the season with 8 caps (5 starts) and 3 tries. His impressive debut season and stand-out defensive work resulted in his selection to a 9-week development academy for the USA Men’s High-Performance Pathways program after which he was selected for the USA Eagles’ American Pacific Challenge in Uruguay. To date, he has earned 3 international caps.

Daniel’s 2022 season was even more impressive than his debut season. He appeared in 15 of DC’s 16 games, starting 13 and scoring an additional 4 tries. On defence, he finished as the highest tackler in MLR during the regular season, with 255 completed tackles. A high school and university level wrestler, Daniel’s reputation as a fearsome tackler was warranted. He only appeared in 4 games (all starts) during 2023 before being sidelined with injury, but still contributed another try and 61 tackles in those 4 games, as DC made the post-season for the first time in club history, making it to the Eastern Conference Final before being defeated 25-7 by the eventual Champions, the New England Free Jacks.

On September 26th, 2023, Old Glory DC announced the re-signing of Cory Daniel for the 2024 MLR season, where he would earn a personal best 15 starts in 15 games, adding 4 tries to his total and finishing as the league’s highest tackler for the 2nd time in his MLR career, with an enormous 276 (a new PB), over 50 ahead of 2nd place (Utah’s Frank Lochore on 221). Old Glory DC qualified for the post-season for the 2nd year in a row, where they ran the eventual champions (again) New England Free Jacks close in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, but fell 33-29 on the road. Daniel was named to the All-MLR First XV team for his outstanding season.

Achievements

• 2024 All-MLR First XV Selection: Old Glory DC
• 1st in MLR Tackling: 2024 (276 Tackles)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 17
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 16
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 15
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 11
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 6
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 4
• MLR Team of the Week: 2024 – Rd 3
• 1st in MLR Tackling: 2022 (255 Tackles)
• MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 18
• MLR Team of the Week: 2022 – Round 10