Scholarship
Honoring a Brother: The Luis De Souza Pinto '02 Memorial Scholarship
Named for a Madison Rugby captain from Brazil who made JMU his home. Alumni raised the founding $25,000 within four months of his passing in 2004, five years ahead of the timeline they had been given. The scholarship is fully funded, endowed and permanent.
Amount
Approximately $4,000 per year
Eligible
International student rugby players attending JMU
Number Awarded
1
Available
2026-2027
Program
Men
His Story
Originally from Brazil, Luis De Souza Pinto came to JMU in 1998 and found his home on the rugby pitch. He became team captain and vice president, and personified Madison Rugby culture on and off the field. Luis passed away in a jet skiing accident in 2004.
Built by Alumni, for the Game
Within four months of his passing, the Madison Rugby community raised $25,000, the full amount needed to establish an endowed scholarship at JMU, five years ahead of schedule. Donations came from original players who founded the club in 1975 all the way through recent graduates. The endowment was established by Brian T. Rainey ('04) on behalf of the Men's Rugby Football Club alumni and Luis's friends and family.
"He personified the love for the game, and everything that came with playing rugby at Madison is Luis." — Brian Rainey ('04)
Who It Supports
The scholarship is fully funded, endowed, and permanent. Alumni raised the founding $25,000 within four months of Luis's death; the endowment has since grown to roughly $100,000 in principal and awards approximately $3,300–$4,000 a year, about 4% of the endowed balance, to a JMU rugby player, in perpetuity.
The 2026 Recipient: Logan Edler
Logan Edler, a rising senior and club Vice President, is the 2026 recipient. He joined the club in spring 2024 and plays No. 8. On what the scholarship means to him:
Beyond the financial help, having a scholarship like this gives every player in the club something to work toward and shows us that the people who came through this program before us are still invested in its future.
Logan Edler, Vice President, JMU Men's Rugby
Honoring a Brother
The Luis De Souza Pinto '02 Memorial Scholarship is fully funded, endowed, and permanent.