Student-athletes relish the competitive environment of Rhodes athletics.
Athletes always strive for the greatest heights, aiming to hit the top spot on the podium or take home the gold no matter the competition. That competitive fire is constantly stoked among Rhodes students, who routinely appear on First Team rosters in the Southern Athletic Association (SAA). While change and turnover are common in organized sports, students who choose to pursue athletics at Rhodes always find both a winning and supportive environment waiting for them.
Athletics are a major part of the Rhodes appeal; there are 553 varsity athletes during the 2025-2026 academic year (almost a third of the student body) honing their craft among 23 men’s and women’s NCAA DIII athletic programs—not to mention the numerous club and intramural sports available to students. And with a history of competitive teams, those 23 successful programs are a major draw for prospective students looking to improve. “We survey outgoing student-athletes upon graduation, and 95 percent say they wouldn’t have picked a school if their sport wasn’t offered,” says athletic director Jim Duncan P’22. “Students who apply to Rhodes are academically gifted, but the athletic portion is pulling some really good students here who might not have looked here if we didn’t have that really good athletic component.”
In the 2024-25 season, Rhodes racked up the trophies, garnering seven SAA Championships, including team efforts from Men’s Swimming and diving, Baseball, Women’s Golf, and Men’s Lacrosse. Rhodes had 400 student-athletes named to the SAA Academic Honor Roll and 60 recognized by College Sports Communicators (CSC) as Academic All District Athletes. The overall athletics department GPA hovered around 3.5, speaking to excellence both on and off the field.
“The Rhodes mission is to help develop well-rounded students,” says Duncan. “Academics is the key component of that, so we work alongside faculty to make sure that our student-athletes are getting as much as they can academically, athletically, and from the community. It can be tough at times to balance those expectations of what our students are going through, but our team does a great job of making sure we’re constantly in communication with all the relevant parties.”
Senior Giana Vlahakos ’26, a member of the women’s basketball team from Houston, TX, has felt that support since she first started her basketball career in Memphis. “I have felt supported at Rhodes from the minute I stepped on campus. Athletically, the coaches and our athletic director ensure that we have what we need, as they understand the demands of a rigorous academic institution. Moreover, they encourage us to take full advantage of academic opportunities.
“On the academic side, professors are very accommodating and willing to work with us when we have to miss class for games. With such small class sizes, building relationships with professors is still very doable throughout our absences for games and something I really value about Rhodes. It’s been an environment where I feel like I can compete at a high level while still growing academically and personally.”
Outside of practice, games, and class, making sure a potential team is the right fit is a big part of choosing the right college. That was never a concern for Vlahakos during her college search. “I was initially drawn to Rhodes by the welcoming coaching staff and the location of the school in a big city. Beyond that, I wanted to be a part of a winning culture and tight-knit group of players that were to become my teammates. During my visit, all the girls made a real effort to get to know me and my family, which made Rhodes feel like a great fit and somewhere I could see myself growing on and off the court.”
Vlahakos has been a mainstay in the Rhodes’ starting lineup during her four years, with a personal highlight coming in the 2023-24 season when she was named SAA Defensive Player of the Year. Playing basketball at Rhodes has allowed her to flourish as she has worked closely with head women’s basketball coach Judi Vigneulle-Thurman on improving individual aspects of her game. “Playing under Coach T has been very rewarding,” she says. “She holds each of us to high standards but helps us meet those expectations. I appreciate that she puts an emphasis on winning, and she is extremely detail-oriented, especially on the defensive end. Coach T has helped me improve my midrange game and has made me a more confident and smarter player. I am extremely grateful to have a coach that cares about us not only as players, but as students and people.”
Even the newer athletic programs have quickly established a base for their athletes to succeed. The Men’s Lacrosse team, which started as a varsity sport at Rhodes in 2012, has quickly established itself as a dominant force in the SAA. Team captain Lucas Pagliarulo ’26 from Medford, MA, has thrived as a key player on his team. “My experience as a student-athlete has been really great,” he says. “We’ve had a really good platform to succeed and have had a lot of success come with that. My first two seasons we were unable to win the conference, but last year we won the championship and went on to compete in the national tournament.” Pagliarulo credits Coach Billy Cameron with his own personal improvement, as well as the team’s. “Thanks to him, we have been able to grow and succeed so rapidly.”
While Rhodes has elevated both their games, both Pagliarulo and Vlahakos note their personal growth as individuals. For Pagliarulo, that has manifested as a leadership role for a successful group of young men. “As a player voted captain for the last two seasons and this coming season, I have been fortunate to lead and represent Rhodes Lacrosse as we have built up our reputation as a nationally competitive program. The support from the coaching staff and athletic department has allowed me to grow as a leader and a person while at Rhodes, contributing to both individual and team success on and off the field.”
On the court, Vlahakos channels her energy and determination into stout defensive play that can turn defense into offense. “I go into games knowing that I can impact the game without even having the ball, and I can create opportunities for myself and others.” Off it, she harnesses that same mindset to benefit the student body as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), an organization dedicated to protecting student-athletes’ well-being, creating a positive environment for athletes, and promoting engagement within athletics. “SAAC gives me the space to collaborate and network with other student-athletes to advocate for changes they wish to see. This role allows me to make sure athletes’ voices are heard. I want to help shape the Rhodes athletic experience in a positive way and make sure everyone feels valued and supported, because I feel like that is important to be able to compete at this level.
“As president,” she continues, “one of the most important things I do is bridge the gap between the athletes and the athletic administration as well as the greater Rhodes community. Leading SAAC has given me the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than just my team alone, and I see it as both a responsibility and a privilege to listen to what my fellow athletes need.”
Athletes like Vlahakos and Pagliarulo continue to drive Rhodes Athletics forward, but there are many making their mark (see the Athletics Recap on page 10 for updates from the fall 2025 semester) both individually or as part of a team. Alumni continue to support athletes by attending football games at Homecoming or CajunFest, attending other competitions at Rhodes throughout the year, or through their donations. The 2025 Athletics Day of Giving donations of over $450,000 from more than 1,070 alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students surpassed last year’s total and will continue to provide resources for teams. “I like to tell people this isn’t a four-year commitment to athletics,” says Duncan, “but a 40-year commitment. Because it’s amazing how people stay connected to the teams they were part of and continue to show their support in many ways.”
Underpinning it all is the healthy Rhodes-Sewanee rivalry that has flourished for decades. Rhodes and Sewanee football have contested the Edmund Orgill Cup for generations, and that rivalry has been expanded to include a comprehensive running head-to-head tally between all the sports teams. “We call it the Battle of the Bluffs,” says Duncan. “Whenever one of our teams plays each other head-to-head, there’s a points component, and we tally them all up based on results and see who wins between us at the end of the season.
“A lot of athletes had been requesting that they have something similar to the Orgill Cup. Two like-minded schools in what we’re trying to achieve, battling it out across the season. It’s another way to add a new chapter to this historic rivalry, and is just really fun for our athletes and community to be involved with.”