许多新加入俱乐部的橄榄球运动员，有些有经验，有些没有，希望以战胜对手普渡大学开始他们的赛季。9月9日下午1点，印地安那州西拉斐特市，泥巴鲨队将迎战普渡大学，开始本赛季的比赛。“这是五年来我们举办过的最好的招聘课程，”大四学生瑞安·奈斯特罗姆说。Nystrom说，尽管由于他的资格，他将不会参加本赛季的比赛，但他仍然会参加训练并支持球队。奈斯特罗姆说，因为新秀人数众多，所以更容易进行更有效的训练和争球。“我们有30到40名球员可以在争球中奔跑，”他说。“这有很大的不同。”nystrom提到了加利福尼亚熊队，他们在训练中拥有多名球员。熊队拥有大学代表队的身份，赢得了过去10个全国冠军，他们有机会使用加州大学体育系的预算。因为泥鲨队是一个俱乐部，他们使用自己的资源。\nFreshman forward John Bryant, who is one of the Mudshark's standout rookies, was a high school All-American last year and was named All-State three years in his career at Bloomington South High School. \n"I like the competitive program and the higher level of rugby," Bryant said of his transition to collegiate rugby. \nBryant added that he is pleased to be with the Mudsharks, who are coached by Sopa Enari. "I love it," he said. "I don't really know how to describe it, but I do like it." \nCurrently ranked fifth in the nation, Enari said he wants to orient his players to one of the game's new rules and place rookies into positions. \n"Right now there is a mixture of rookies who want to play," Enari said, "I have to assess the skills of the rookies and determine who can play at this level." \nThe Mudsharks, who consistently qualify for postseason play, expect to be playing after the 2000 season. The Mudsharks lost by one-point to Army in the Sweet Sixteen tournament last season.
