RMC Football Family Celebrating Historic Season

Nick Hale ’23 jokes that his fraternal twin, Matt ’23, has been leading the way since they were born. Matt was born first, and as long as they’ve been playing football together—from pee wee football in third grade through their college careers at Randolph-Macon—Matt has been an offensive lineman blocking for Nick, a running back.

Matt and Nick are two of 17 players on the Yellow Jackets who decided to return for a fifth season, using an extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to compensate for lost playing opportunities during the COVID pandemic. That decision has paid dividends, as Randolph-Macon prepares to play in the NCAA Division III semifinals for the first time in school history, hosting Cortland on Saturday, Dec. 9 at noon on Day Field.

This undefeated season, with a historic 13 wins and RMC’s 14th Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship, has been a special one for the entire Hale family, including their father, Mark ’92, who himself played football at RMC in the late 80s and early 90s.

“I couldn’t ask for more as a father,” Mark said. “I’m so grateful, fortunate, and blessed that they’ve been a part of this program.”

Football is a family affair for the Hales. Mark played fullback before transitioning to the offensive line—roles that mirror the positions his sons play today. He also coached the boys through their high school careers and even recruited their mother Terena to put on full pads to help them learn proper tackling technique when they were in third grade.

While Matt and Nick have played on the same team for almost 15 years, they came to the decision to attend RMC independently. After camps and recruiting visits, Nick was the first player in the recruiting class to commit, doing so right before Christmas during their senior year. Initially, Matt had made up his mind that he was done playing football after high school. But weeks later, he grew to regret that decision, and after a meeting with head coach Pedro Arruza in Ashland, he was on the team.

Five years later, both Hale brothers are immensely grateful for the experience they’ve had. Nick and Matt will both graduate with bachelor’s degrees in business with a concentration in finance. Their on-field successes are remarkable, the Yellow Jackets are 47-4 in the Hales’ time on campus, but their most fervent appreciation is for the people they’ve become playing under Arruza. After the 2022 season ended in a heartbreaking second-round playoff loss at Delaware Valley, the decision to come back for a fifth year became an easy one.

“I describe it as a domino effect. One person decided to come back, another person decided to come back, and next thing you know, we have 17 fifth-years,” Nick said. “This program is different. I have grown so much over the past five years that I’ve been here, as a man, as a leader, as a player, as a friend, as a son. I’m just so grateful for what this program has done for me and what it’s doing for all these guys that decide to come here and play for Coach Arruza.”

The decision to return has been equally impactful on the field. The Hale brothers are key members of one the highest-scoring offenses in the country, averaging 47.8 points per game. Nick is one of four RMC running backs to gain over 500 yards this season, and his 40 career touchdowns are a program record, while Matt is the starting center, commanding the offensive line.

Matt admits that he’s tough on Nick in the huddle when he feels like his brother missed a read or could have broken a tackle, but he’s also quick to remember some of his favorite moments on the field together as a hard-hitting duo.

“I’ll never forget the play against Shenandoah our junior year in 2021,” Matt recalled with a smile. “He broke through the second level and there was a safety coming down trying to take his legs out. Nick just lowered his shoulder and ran right over him.”

As a father and a fan, Mark is locked in. He spends Tuesday nights watching film of the week’s opponent, and by Friday night as he drives up to Ashland, he’s full of adrenaline to watch his sons play. Both brothers point to the passion shown by generations of RMC Football alumni, including their father and his teammates, and note how meaningful it is to be “Team 136” in the program’s storied history.

With a win on Saturday, RMC would advance to the DIII national championship game, also known as the Stagg Bowl, for the first time in program history. The Dec. 15 championship game in Salem, Va. would be a full-circle moment for the Hale family, who grew up down the road in nearby Vinton, Va.

“They played a pee wee Super Bowl game in that stadium. They’ve played middle school games there. They’ve played several high school games there,” Mark said. “That would be unbelievable if that comes to fruition.”

Of course, the Hales and every member of the RMC Football family are focused on the game in front of them. Just like the motivation to come back for one more season, they’re playing every week to get one more game with each other.

“We’re playing for another week to be with this team,” Matt said. “Going out there to practice is the best part of my day. I don’t want the season to end, I love being a part of this team.”