Matt Upton is one of the most versatile student-athletes in Jesuit Dallas lore. A distinguished three-sport athlete and nine-time letterwinner, he played a key role in leading the Rangers to the 2001 Texas Rugby State Championship and the 2002 Texas Prep State Wrestling Championship.
Wrestling was Upton’s most dominant sport. Ending his career with an overall record of 117-11 (.914), he was a four-time state medalist, as well as the 2001 and 2002 Texas Prep state heavyweight champion. His senior season was especially impressive, as he closed the campaign with a 37-1 record while allowing zero takedowns over the course of the year. After the season, he was named Texas All-State by Wrestling USA magazine and selected to the Dallas Morning News All-Area team.
For two years, Upton also patrolled the offensive and defensive line for Jesuit football. Invited to participate in the 2002 Dallas Morning News City All-Star Game, he was named to the Dallas Morning News All-Area team that same year.
And while he was remarkably accomplished in two other sports, Upton’s future was in rugby, where after a decorated high school career, he excelled at both the collegiate and professional levels. Serving as captain for the Rangers during their state-title run in 2001, he was recognized as the team’s most valuable forward as a senior and won the second of two consecutive Ranger Heart Awards. Outside of Jesuit, he competed for the Texas Rugby Union (TRU) U-19 select side, and was a member of USA Rugby’s U-19 Selects.
Initially attending Lindenwood University where he played wrestling and football, Upton enrolled at the University of Oklahoma prior to his sophomore year to pursue rugby for the perennially-ranked Sooners. A two-time recipient of the Doug Neubauer Award for excellence on the field, he was tabbed as the team’s forward of the year in 2007 as Oklahoma climbed to No. 9 in the national polls. During his time as an undergraduate, Upton also played for the Western Union Collegiate All Stars (2004-05) and the Western Union Men’s Select side (2005-07).
From 2007-14, Upton enjoyed an eight-year career with New Orleans Rugby Football Club of the Deep South Rugby Football Union. In 2011, New Orleans won the USA Rugby DII National Championship with Upton being named national championship Man of the Match. In 2014, he joined the Dallas Rugby Football Club where he was tabbed the team’s newcomer of the year. A multi-time USA South All Star, Upton was a member of the 2012 USA South Panthers that became only the second men’s full team from the USA to win an International Rugby Board (IRB) tournament championship.
