USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships
SportRugby sevens
Founded2011
Inaugural season2011
No. of teams36
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion(s)		Life University (3 titles)
Most titlesLindenwood (4 titles)
Official websitewww.usarugby.org
r7cc.rugby

The USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships is an annual competition among the top college rugby teams in the country to decide a national champion in rugby sevens. USA Rugby organized the championship to capitalize on the surge in popularity of rugby sevens following the 2009 announcement of the addition of rugby to the Summer Olympics. USA Rugby recognized that rugby sevens is growing in popularity, participation and interest. At the time of the foundation of the tournament, rugby was one of the fastest growing sports across college campuses.[1] This tournament is a major contributor to the selection process for USA Rugby Olympic athletes.[2]

History

USA Rugby announced in September 2011 the creation of a new sevens tournament.[3] The launch by USA Rugby had a few hiccups. USA Rugby did not officially announce the December 16–17, 2011 tournament and its dates until September 2011, and at that time USA Rugby had still not determined the location.[3] Those mid-December dates were in the middle of exams for some schools. College Station, Texas, was ultimately announced as the venue in November.[4] College Station lacks direct flight to many major cities, and this problem was compounded by the decision to hold the tournament over a Friday and Saturday, requiring students to miss both a Thursday and Friday. For these reasons, many colleges that qualified or were invited to the tournament—such as Penn State, UCLA, Utah, BYU, Boston College, Navy, LSU, Iowa, Dartmouth, Delaware, Cal, and Bowling Green—declined to participate.[5][6]

The inaugural 2011 tournament was contested by 24 teams that qualified based on performance in qualifying tournaments throughout the fall of 2011. The 2011 tournament was won by Life University, defeating Central Washington 22–17 in overtime.[7] Tim Stanfill of Central Washington was the tournament MVP, and Derek Patrick of Miami was the tournament's leading try scorer.[8]

The 2012 tournament was more organized, with only one team - UCLA - declining to participate in the tournament. The 2012 tournament also saw increased airtime, with the entire tournament available live via webstream and some of the knockout rounds broadcast on ESPN3.[9]

For the 2013 tournament, three teams—Cal, BYU, and UCLA—won bids but declined to participate.[10]

The 2015 tournament was held in May — unlike previous tournaments which had been held in December. The tournament took place in Denver over the weekend of May 23–24, less than one week before the 2015 Collegiate Rugby Championship in Philadelphia. Once again, several top teams did not play: BYU, California, Life University, and UCLA.

Results

YearLocationChampionScoreRunner UpThirdFourthQuarter-finalistsReference
2011College Station, TXLife University22–17Central WashingtonArkansas StateKutztownSaint Mary's, Colorado,
Tennessee, Cal Poly		[11]
2012College Station, TXArkansas State21–7Life UniversityDelawareSaint Mary'sNavy, Central Washington,
Texas A&M, Kutztown		[12]
2013Greensboro, NCArkansas State32–12Saint Mary'sDartmouthCentral WashingtonLife University (5th), Davenport (6th),
Air Force, Lindenwood		[13]
2014Tournament moved from fall 2014 to spring 2015
2015Denver, COLindenwood28–10DavenportCentral WashingtonUtahSaint Mary's (5th), Arizona St. (6th),
American International College, San Diego State		[14]
2016Cary, NCSaint Mary's7–5American International CollegeDavenportArizona St.Central Washington, Notre Dame,
Lindenwood, West Virginia		[15][16]
2017Glendale, COLindenwood26–5Saint Mary'sDavenportUtahOhio State, Bowling Green,
Florida International, Grand Canyon		[17][18]
2018Glendale, COLindenwood26–12CalKutztownGrand CanyonArizona, Arkansas,
Wisconsin, Indiana		[19]
2019Tucson, AZLindenwood36–0American International CollegeDavenportGrand CanyonNotre Dame, Arizona
Ohio State		[20][21]
2020–21Not held due to Covid-19 pandemic
2022Kennesaw, GALife University24–19LindenwoodDavenport
Saint Mary's		Arizona, Central Washington,
Cal Poly, UCLA		[22]
2023Houston, TXLife University28–17LindenwoodArmy
Davenport		Penn State, Arizona,
Grand Canyon, Central Washington		[23][24]

Sources:[25]

Championships

USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships is located in the United States
Lindenwood
Lindenwood
Life
Life
Arkansas State
Arkansas State
St. Mary's
St. Mary's
Collegiate National Championships by school
– 4 championships – 3 championships – 2 championships – 1 championship
Team # Years
Lindenwood 4 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019
Life 3 2011, 2022, 2023
Arkansas State 2 2012, 2013
Saint Mary's 1 2016

Television Ratings

YearTV ViewershipRatingsChannel
2022519,000[26]–NBC*
 *TV broadcast was taped.

Players

YearTournament MVPLeading Try ScorerLeading Points ScorerRef.
2011Tim Stanfill (Central Washington)Derek Patrick (Miami, Ohio)8
2012Zac Mizell (Arkansas State)
2013Dylan Carrion (Arkansas State)Matthew Beeman (Miami, Ohio)7
2014Tournament moved from fall 2014 to spring 2015
2015Mickey Batemen (Lindenwood)
2016Dylan Audsley (St Mary's)[15]
2017
2018 Deion Mikesell (Lindenwood)7Nicholas Feakes47[27]
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023Orrin Bizer (Life)[28]

Qualifying tournaments

The following rugby sevens tournaments, played throughout the fall season preceding the national championships, serve as the qualifying events for the national championships. The winner of each qualifying tournament earns an automatic berth in the national championships.[29] The rest of the places in the national championships are awarded to at large bids chosen by a selection panel.

Legend
  • 1st — Champions
  •    — Champions
  • 2nd — Runners-up
  • 3rd — Third place
  • 4th — Fourth place
Tournament 2011[30] 2012 2013[10]
Allied 7s Texas A&M Texas A&M Oklahoma
Atlantic Coast 7s N.C. State Virginia Tech Navy
Battle in the Bay 7s * * St. Mary's
Big 10 7s Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin
California 7s St. Mary's San Diego State Cal Poly
East Coast 7s Boston College Northeastern
Empire 7s Navy *
Halloween 7s Kutztown *
Heart of America 7s * Lindenwood Arkansas
Ivy Rugby 7s Dartmouth Dartmouth Dartmouth
MAC 7s * Davenport
Midwest 7s Miami, Ohio *
Northwest 7s Central Washington Central Washington Central Washington
PAC 7s Colorado Cal Cal
Pacific Western 7s * * San Jose St.
South Independent 7s Life University Life University Arkansas St.
Southwest 7s * Texas Texas
Southeastern 7s Tennessee Texas A&M Auburn
Cougar Invitational Brigham Young Air Force Air Force

Notes:

  • Team in italics declined to participate in the championship tournament or were not invited for team-specific issues.
  • An asterisk indicates that the tournament was not held or was not an automatic qualifier that year.
  • The Cougar Invitational was called the Rocky Mountain 7s in 2012 and the Mountain 7s in 2011.
  • The Allied 7s was known as the Oklahoma 7s in 2011 prior to the formation of the Allied Rugby Conference.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Pritchett, Jon L. "Why Pro Rugby Could Win In The United States". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-04-13.
  2. ↑ Rugby Mag, College 7s Back at Texas A&M, September 5, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/5686-college-7s-back-at-texas-aam.html
  3. 1 2 USA Rugby Press Release, September 1, 2011, http://www.midwestrugby.org/usarugbynews09.01.11.htm
  4. ↑ Rugby Mag, College 7s Championships Details Coming Wednesday, November 8, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/2611-college-7s-championships-details-coming-wednesday.html
  5. ↑ Rugby Mag, One Out, One in for College 7s Nats, November 2, 2011, "One Out, One in for College 7s Nats". Archived from the original on 2014-04-08. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  6. ↑ Rugby Mag, Razorbacks to 7s Nats, One Spot Left, November 27, 2011, "Razorbacks to 7s Nats, One Spot Left". Archived from the original on 2013-09-07. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  7. ↑ Rugby In Texas, Order Of Finish For Collegiate 7s Championship, December 20, 2011, http://rugbyintexas.com/?p=1264
  8. ↑ Rugby Mag, 7s Nationals Men's All-Tourney Team, December 18, 2011, http://rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2994:7s-nationals-mens-all-tourney-team&catid=73:collegiate-sevens&Itemid=91
  9. ↑ RugbyRugby, USA Rugby & ESPN3 Partner for College 7s Championships Coverage, November 29, 2012, http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/more_news/college_rugby/7007526/usa_rugby___espn3_partner_for_college_7s_championships_coverage
  10. 1 2 Rugby Mag, College 7s Nationals Fields Finalized, 12 November 2013, "College 7s Nationals Fields Finalized". Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
  11. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  15. 1 2 "COLLEGE 7s 2016: SAINT MARY'S, LIFE CROWNED DI NATIONAL CHAMPIONS". USA Rugby. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  16. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  17. ↑ "College 7s title heads back to Missouri in hands of Lindenwood Lions". USA college 7s. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  18. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  19. ↑ "Cal Rugby falls to Lindenwood 26-12 in USA Rugby College 7s national championship final". California Golden Blogs. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  20. ↑ "Lions Claim Third Straight Sevens Title". Lindenwood Lions. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  21. ↑ "USA Rugby College Sevens". Rugby7. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "Men's Gold Results". r7cc. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  23. ↑ "Results". CRAA. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  24. ↑ "BACK TO BACK: Men's Rugby Repeats with 7s National Championship". Life Running Eagles. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  25. ↑ "Men's College Champions-Historical List". Goff Rugby Report. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  26. ↑ "Audience Analysis: Spieth again moves the needle for CBS golf numbers". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  27. ↑ "USAR Collegiate 7s". Flo Rugby. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  28. ↑ "Life Men Lead the Way in CRAA Premier 7s". Goff Rugby Report. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  29. ↑ Rugby America, Finally!!! USA Rugby Announces Collegiate 7's National Championship, September 1, 2011, http://rugbyamerica.net/2011/09/01/finally-usa-rugby-announces-collegiate-7s-national-championship/
  30. ↑ Rugby Mag, 23 Teams Announced for 7s Nationals, November 9, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/2618-23-teams-announced-for-7s-nationals.html
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