'24 Kamil Patel Memorial Scholarship Winners Announced

The Buffalo Rugby Club and the Kamil Patel Scholarship committee are proud to announce this year's co-winners Anneliese Henrich and Maxwell Ilkiwskyj.

The award is given to current high school seniors who plan to become a full-time college student and participate in rugby. Players were nominated by coaches and submitted an essay. The winner is selected by a panel of NYS Rugby evaluators.

Winner - Anneliese Henrich of Orchard Park Girls Rugby

Anneliese is a graduating senior at Orchard Park High School, captain of Orchard Park Girls rugby. She was a member of the USA U18 7s team that competed in New Zealand in December 2023, and was the captain of the EIRA 15s team that has toured Ireland the past 2 summers.

From Coach Henrich, "Her loyalty to her teammates is limitless. If I ever complain about someone after a practice or match (oops), Annie will passionately defend her teammate and will put me in my place. Her personality and kindness and loyalty and inclusivity are authentic."

From Anneliese's essay: "the thing that makes me most proud is how I have been able to help so many young people in my hometown fall in love with this sport. I am proud that I have helped a culture and atmosphere on the rugby team that is welcoming and respected. I am proud that I have made it a priority to help as many players as possible to score tries by passing it to them at appropriate times and by rewarding their efforts to hustle and follow the action"

Winner - Maxwell Ilkiwskyj of Orchard Park Boys Rugby

Maxwell is a graduating senior at Hamburg High School, captain of Orchard Park Boys rugby. He has committed to the University of Buffalo where he plans to study psychology and play rugby. 

From Coach Beck, "I have had only a few athletes who possessed all the capabilities to needed completely transform, develop, and lead a club like Maxwell has the last three seasons. His desire to be the best possible teammate and leader was noticed by everyone at Orchard Park Rugby. "

From Maxwells essay: "When I first picked up a rugby ball as a kid, I had no idea how profoundly the sport would shape my life. It has taught me the value of hard work, the importance of teamwork, and the power of leadership. As captain of my high school rugby team, I’ve learned that leadership is about more than just strategy; it’s about inspiring my teammates to be their best, and creating a sense of unity among the players. "

RugbyNY is the governing body for youth and high school rugby in the state of New York. They are a member of USA Youth & High School Rugby's Northeast region and are an officially recognized State Youth Rugby Organization (SYRO) by USA Rugby. RugbyNY is registered with the New York State Department of State as a not-for-profit corporation and is recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.