The irony of his position is not lost on Madison Hughes. The youngest member of the first USA Men’s Rugby Sevens team in 92 years, given the nickname “Captain America” by his teammates, is a native of London who has dedicated his life to a sport that is largely lacks an American influence.

It was his time at Dartmouth College, mixing his love of rugby with his value on education, that has made him feel more American than anything else. Hughes and his teammates will represent the United States in at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games this month, as rugby makes it first appearance on the biggest international stage since 1924.

“It’s been a dream of mine,” Hughes, a 2015 Dartmouth graduate, said earlier this month, taking some time in between training sessions at the Olympic Training Center at Chula Vista, Calif., just south of San Diego. “A few years ago, when it was being discussed, I always thought that if rugby returned to the Olympics, I’d have a chance. Now that it’s happening, I can’t wait.”

Hughes grew up in a London suburb, where he was introduced to rugby at a young age. Like most across the pond, Hughes dedicated his athletic pursuits between soccer and rugby, eventually making the commitment to the one that made him feel more comfortable.

After high school, Hughes had a decision to make. Higher-level rugby in England was competitive and rigorous. But Hughes wanted an education, too. He had relatives in Lancaster, Mass., and started looking at schools in the New England area. When Hughes found Dartmouth, he felt right at home.

“I took a tour of the campus, met with the rugby coaches (at the time, Alex Magleby). I just knew it was for me,” he said.

It didn’t take long for Hughes to make his mark on Dartmouth’s club team. He was named Big Green’s captain as a junior, becoming the youngest captain in Dartmouth rugby history. In his senior season, Hughes spent time juggling between his Dartmouth studies and the U.S. Eagles sevens squad, to which Hughes was also named captain.

“It was definitely intimidating, at first,” Hughes said. “There were seniors on the team who were expecting to be leaders. I just tried to get everyone together and keep them on the same page. I try to lead by example, try to say the right thing when called upon. Leadership isn’t something new for me. But being named was certainly a surprise. It’s made my captaincy for Team USA much easier to handle.”

Hughes was officially named to U.S. Rugby Sevens team in mid-July. Though the announcement didn’t come as much of a surprise, getting the official word from USA Rugby still called for some celebrating. “It’s an honor to represent my country,” he said.

But Hughes knows that this isn’t just any Olympics, particularly for his sport as it re-enters the Olympic landscape. For the Dartmouth grad, the Rio Olympics is an opportunity for his sport to re-introduce itself to the world, putting the onus on all rugby sevens teams to put on a good show.

“I think this is a really important Olympics for rugby,” Hughes said.

“Particularly in the U.S., rugby isn’t as popular as some other sports. Rugby in the U.S. is so different than in other countries. I think if we can put our sport in front of more people, I think we’ll be able to help it grow.”

Hughes’ team is ranked sixth in the world behind such rugby powerhouses as Fiji, South Africa and New Zealand heading into the Olympics, and has been given 25-to-1 odds of winning a gold medal by Las Vegas handicappers. USA Rugby also made headlines earlier this month for naming New England Patriots player Nate Ebner to the final roster.

But for Hughes, the Rio Olympics represent the opportunity of a lifetime. No matter the rhetoric surrounding this summer’s games, the questioning of the preparedness in Rio or the challenges the city may face with the eyes of the world upon it, Hughes never imagined not being a part of it.

“I did my research; they talked to us about some of the stuff going on,” Hughes said. “The opportunity was just too good to pass up. This really is a dream come true. I wouldn’t miss it.”

Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.