The holiday weekend saw just two new teams punch their tickets to the Collegiate Rugby Championship, setting up a monster final weekend of qualifiers.
Northern Iowa beat all comers to win Wolverine 7s in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Panthers bested Ohio State in the championship, 26-12, but they’re gunning for the Premier Cup, and the automatic bid fell to the runner-up Buckeyes.
Ohio State shut out Indiana and Adrian in pool play, before squeaking past archrival Michigan in the semis. While the Buckeyes join Florida, Iowa, James Madison, Arizona State and Colorado State in qualifying, UNI’s hopes hang on a potential Premier Cup at-large bid.
Out west at the High Peaks 7s, XVs reigning champion Colorado School of Mines ran the table to earn a bid to 7s nationals. The Orediggers went 5-0, beating Western Oregon, Northern Colorado, Idaho State (twice) and New Mexico Tech. Mines joins Drury, MiraCosta, Christopher Newport and Baldwin Wallace in qualifying in Women’s DIII.
The final weekend of qualification will see as many as 16 teams punch their ticket, with everyone else waiting to hear their fate on Selection Saturday hosted by The College Rugby Show on April 18, when all 144 teams and eight national championship brackets will be announced.
Written by Pat Clifton of The College Rugby Show
