First UC Santa Cruz alumnus drafted to Major League Rugby

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- A lifelong dream for one banana slug just got one step closer to reality. For the first time, a UC Santa Cruz alumnus was drafted in the 2023 Major League Rugby Collegiate Draft.

Jackson Zabierek was taken with the 18th pick by the Los Angeles Team. Since his first day at practice his freshman year, he said he would one day make the USA National Rugby Team.

“Everything’s riding on this,” Zabierek said before the draft. “Making it into the Academy could cement my ability to play professional rugby for as long as I wanted. The Academy would also set me on a path towards playing for the USA National Team, which would ultimately be the best thing I could do.”

The 2023 graduate will now spend the next two and a half months training and conditioning with the USA National Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina. He will then play for the Los Angeles team in January.

UCSC Rugby head coach Jeremy Sanford said the following about Zabierek:

“If you meet him, he’s strong, compact, agile, and dynamic, and that’s an amazing combination,” Sanford says. “But what makes him a step above everyone is that he works harder than any student I’ve ever met.”

Zabierek played rugby for all four years while earning his B.A. in economics and business management. He became a team captain in 2020 and led UCSC Rugby through its inaugural season in D1A for the 2022-2023 season.  

“I’m going to miss playing for Santa Cruz,” Zabierek said. “It was my home for the past four years, and the coaches and the players, I really couldn’t have asked for better people. They’re working hard, and I’m extremely excited to see them play this year. I’m even more excited to come back for the alumni game, put them to the test, and play alongside the people that helped me get to the Grizzlies and ultimately to where I am right now.”