Academy Duo Called up to 2025 Roster

CHICAGO, Il.- The Hounds confirmed today a pair of academy players have been called up into the senior Major League Rugby squad for the 2025 season. The Hounds agreed to terms with prop Koby Baker and lock Tavius Sykora-Matthess.

Koby Baker

Baker was brought into the Hounds Academy environment this fall and started three games from his tighthead position. Impressive performances with the Academy earned him his second MLR contract.

Baker spent the beginning of the 2024 calendar year with the American Raptors. He signed his first Major League Rugby contract with the Seattle Seawolves on June 13, along with recently-announced Hound Jackson Zabierek.

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Despite joining Seattle’s clubhouse late in the season, Baker appeared in five contests for Seawolves, including the 2024 Major League Rugby championship game against the New England Free Jacks. He registered eight tackles on 10 attempts, including one dominant tackle.

The Raleigh, North Carolina native began playing rugby in 2015 at Sanderson High School. He earned selection to the High School All-American 7s team in 2019. Upon graduation, Baker continued his academic and athletic career at Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales.

He moved to Australia after graduating from Cardiff Met in 2022. Baker helped the Port Macquarie Pirates win a North Coast Rugby championship. He then returned to America in 2024 and signed with the Raptors.

Tavius Sykora-Matthess

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native was a standout athlete at Washington High School, playing football and 7s while also wrestling. He began his collegiate career as a football player at Missouri Southern State University before ultimately transferring to Iowa Central Community College to pursue rugby opportunities.

He enjoyed a successful career at ICCC, culminating in an All-American 2022 season. Soon afterwards, Sykora-Matthess was named to the United States Under-23 team on a three game tour against Belgium, Canada, and the Czech Republic.

He continued to ascend up the US pipeline, playing for the Falcons against Argentina and the Uruguay XV. The Falcons are the US Eagles’ Developmental team.

Sykora-Matthess joined the American Raptors in 2022 and then signed with the team ahead of their 2023 season competing in Super Rugby Americas. He makes the move back home to the Midwest after spending the last two seasons in Colorado.

With these two signing on for the MLR season, four academy players from this past season have now matriculated into the Hounds’ senior team. Chicago also called up versatile back Sam Walsh and hooker Will Vakalahi earlier this winter.

To date, the Chicago Hounds have confirmed the following transactions ahead of the 2025 Major League Rugby season: