The Rochester Aardvarks were founded in 1966 as the Rochester Rugby Football Club. The club’s origins trace back to Phil Grannan, a graduate and rugby player from the University of Notre Dame, who had a vision of starting a rugby team in Rochester while pursuing his MBA at the University of Rochester. Phil's dream began to take shape when a local newspaper article was published about his idea. As a result, Mike Hunt, Neil Barker, Hudson Fowler, and Phil came together to form the team.

The first players to join were those with rugby experience in England and South Africa, many of whom attended the University of Rochester and the Eastman School of Dentistry. Although some of the founding members didn’t stay long, the team was set on a path toward growth. The “RRFC” traveled and competed against teams from the northern United States (including Buffalo, Cleveland, and Syracuse) as well as Canada (including Toronto and Windsor).

Over the years, the Aardvarks have toured England, Ireland, and the Bahamas. Rochester players have earned spots on various all-star teams, played in international matches representing the U.S., and competed in territory championships, Empire State Games championships, and the National 7s tournament.