The Lee University Rugby Football Club (L.U.R.F.C.) was founded in the spring of 2002 by Kevin Rodriguez and Matt Rabine. Other founding members were Patrick Boyd, Mike Smith and Dustin Cordes. With the help of Steve Spencer, Lee Rugby played their first match against the Sewanee Tigers in April of 2002.
By the fall semester the team increased in size, and found many talented athletes. The team played 5 matches against powerhouses such as Middle Tennessee State University, Chattanooga Men’s Club and the University of Tennessee- Knoxville.
In the spring of 2003, the team played 5 matches, and improved in experience and game play and won their first official match against Sewanee University in April, 13-5.
In August 2003, the Lee University Rugby Football Club was inducted into the Mid-South Rugby Union. With more victories under the club’s belt and with the leadership of their new coach, Eddie Roberts, the team strengthened and toned their rugby skills tremendously.
Emperor Constantine was visited in a dream by Christ saying he was worshiping false gods and he would have a vision the next day. Early the next morning, before the battle to rid Rome of Maxentius, Constantine had a vision within the Sun and he saw the flaming Chi-Rho (the first 2 letters of Christ in Greek). Constantine ordered all of his soldiers to place this symbol on their shields, and then led his army into battle, having an overwhelming victory. Under the symbol is the famous Latin quote “In hoc signo vinces” meaning “By this sign thou shall conquer”. This has been adopted as the Lee Rugby crest and motto