From the breathtaking scenery of Utah, to the rolling countryside of New York, to the hustle-and-bustle of Washington, D.C., the Penn State men's rugby team has been everywhere this semester.
But for the first time in a long time, the Ruggers will not be catching a flight or taking a bus. They will not need to pack their suitcases or order room service, either.
No, the No. 2 team in the country will be doing something drastically different this weekend -- it will be staying home.
Penn State will host its first home match since Oct. 29 when the Princeton Tigers come to town for the first round of the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union (MARFU) playoffs this Saturday.
A kickoff time has yet to be determined, but the teams will meet in either Holuba Hall or on the West Campus Field.
Regardless of the venue, the Ruggers are glad that the match will be in Happy Valley.
"We are very excited to be playing at home," head coach Don Ferrell said. "Everybody is anxious to play in front of their fans for a change and defend their own turf."
And why shouldn't they be? The Ruggers were nothing short of dominant at home during the fall, amassing a perfect 7-0 record.
In those seven matches, Penn State averaged 45.6 points against some of the top sides in the nation.
A much more impressive statistic is that the squad held its opponents to only five points per match, including two shutouts.
The last time Penn State lost in State College was in the fall of 2004, when a talented Navy squad escaped State College with a 34-29 victory over the Lions.
This year's team will enter Saturday's contest having won 11 consecutive matches at home and intends to keep that streak in tact.
"It is such an advantage to be at home, on our own field, and in front of our fans and alumni," scrumhalf Nic Grala said.
"You don't have to deal with the hassle of a road game when you're at home," scrumhalf Mike Petri said. "You get to play your game and get comfortable in your environment."
The Ruggers encourage all students and supporters to show up on Saturday and root them on to victory.
With a win, Penn State -- the tournament's No. 1 seed -- will move one step closer to defending its league title and capturing the fourth MARFU championship in school history.
But that just begins to scratch the surface of what the squad wants to accomplish this weekend.
"Everyone is going to be fired up for this match," Petri said.
"We want to prove something and make a statement to the rest of the college teams in the nation. We want to make them aware that we are going to be a force in Nationals."
