2012 : Olivia Garard '13 & Matthew Hepburn '13

For the second time in the history of the Rogers’ Prize, the award was granted to two equally deserving Princeton Juniors who had each made an outstanding impact on the women’s and men’s rugby teams, respectively,  throughout the 2011-2012 seasons.

Olivia Garard ’13

Olivia Garard is from Conifer, CO and a Philosophy major. The past two summers she completed the Platoon Leaders Class for the United States Marine Corp, which is comprised of two sessions of six weeks of training at Officer Candidates School in Quantico, VA. With their completion, upon graduation from Princeton, she will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marines. She then plans to attend King's College London (and to continue playing rugby) to obtain a Master's in War Studies before heading to The Basic School in October 2014 where she will continue training as a Marine Officer.

 Insofar as Olivia’s rugby experience at Princeton, in Olivia’s words:“I am so happy to have found the team and the Princeton Rugby community. It has enhanced and defined my Princeton experience. I could not have imagined the heart and spirit of the team and coaches. I am forever appreciative for the friendships I have formed and the new found sport I love. I am honored to have been recognized for this award, but this is truly a testament to the power of Princeton Rugby.” 

Matthew Hepburn ’13

Matt is an architecture major at Princeton and hails from London, UK. Upon graduation he hopes to continue his architectural studies in New York or London.
“Rugby has been a very special part of my time at Princeton on and off the field. It has always amazed me how many different groups of people can be brought so closely together by this great sport. It is a real honor for me to receive this award and be connected with the sentiments put forward by the poem.”