Emmitsburg, Md. (August 21, 2025) – Bastian Brunello of the Mount St. Mary's men's rugby team was selected with the 14
th overall pick in the 2025 Major League Rugby draft by the Chicago Hounds on Thursday night. The senior from Mont de Marsan, France has been a standout fullback for the Mountaineers over the past three years, being named to the CRAA D1A All-American team this past spring.
Out of the fullback position, Brunello has tallied 47 points for the Mountaineers, with the 2024 Fall campaign bringing success, with the Frenchman scoring three tries and kicking for conversion on one occasion. In his first year at the Mount, during the 2023 Fall season, Brunello tallied two tries with a kick for conversion and a penalty conversion. And in the Mount's most recent games during the Spring of 2025, Brunello scored three tries.
Brunello was also a part of the USA U-23 team that toured South Africa in the Summer of 2025, where the rising senior played as both fullback and fly-half for the Eagles.
ABOUT THE HOUNDS
Founded in 2022, the Chicago Hounds reached the 2024 MLR eastern conference final, eventually falling to the would-be champion New England Free Jacks by a score of 23-17. The Hounds reached a second consecutive eastern conference final in 2025, once again falling to the Free Jacks by an agonizing score of 21-20. In their three seasons of play, the Hounds have tallied 20 wins and have reached the playoffs on two occasions. Made up of players from the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, Ireland, Argentina, and Georgia, the Hounds play at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
