The Seattle Seawolves have re-signed flanker Eric Duechle for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. The 33-year-old flanker is 6’4″ and 245 lbs.
During the 2019 MLR season, he played in all 18 matches in winning back-to-back MLR Championships. He scored three tries, carried 96 times for 701 meters and had five line breaks. He made 183 tackles, the 4th highest on the team, and played 793 minutes.
Following the season, Eric made many team appearances as part of the club’s community outreach. He won the 2019 USA Club National 7s Championship with Washington Athletic Club and will be playing with the Classic Eagles at the World Rugby Classic in Bermuda in November.
Eric from Erlanger, Kentucky and graduated from T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy where he studied Management. While there, he played for the Zoomie Rugby Club.
Eric has achieved many National honors and has represented the United States and representative teams. In 2008 he was selected by American Rugby News as an All-American. In 2011 he won the Armed Forces Championship and was named to the All-Armed Forces team.
In 2012 he was a member of the Air Force Academy Rugby team that won the USA Rugby Division 1 Championship. He also received Honorable Mention USA Collegiate All-American status with Air Force.
In 2012 he was a member of the Belmont Shore Rugby team that won the USA Rugby Club Division 1 National Championship and then won the National Club 7s Championship that same year. In the Fall, Duechle was then selected to the USA Selects squad that played Uruguay, Canada, and Argentina in 15s.
In 2013 he represented the USA Falcons at the NACRA 7s that was played in the Cayman Islands and who then played in the Coral Coast 7s in Fiji. In 2014 he played with the San Diego team at the Elite City 7s.
In 2015 Eric was part of the Seattle Saracens that won the 2015 National Club 7s Championship. He later played for the Air Force at the Rugbytown 7 in August, which was won by the All-Army team. In September, he was part of the New York City team in the Halloween Invitational 7s. He also represented the Northeast Academy at the Tobago International Sevens Tournament in Dec. 2015.
While with the Seattle Saracens, he also was an athlete with Atavus Rugby.
After completing his first season as a professional rugby player with the Seattle Seawolves (2017 article), he played rugby sevens for Tiger Rugby at the 2018 Rugbytown 7s.
Eric Duechle & World Class Athlete Program (WCAP)
Eric was a member of the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) between 2013 – 2016. While part of the program, he was under consideration for the Eagles 7s.
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