August 15 - Summertime for collegians usually means an internship, a job, or perhaps a bit of travel. For standout college rugby players and coaches, this summer meant some or all of the above, as they spent it playing, coaching or immersed with Premier Rugby Sevens, the five-tournament professional 7s series enjoying its third campaign in 2023.

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With eight men’s and women’s teams, the season played out from coast to coast in Austin, Minneapolis, San Jose and Pittsburgh, culminating with the Championship on August 6 in Washington, D.C. There, a few months after leading Babson to the Small College 7s national title at the Collegiate Rugby Championship just down the road in Boyds, Md., Reed Santos lifted the A. Jon Prusmack Cup – named for the CRC’s founder – claiming the PR7s Men’s Championship with the Rhinos x Loggerheads.

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PR7s awards its United Championship to the franchise with the most combined men’s and women’s points at the end of the season. This summer it went to the Experts, whose men featured Kutztown alum and 2022 CRC champion Kekoa Kauwe. Both the Experts men’s and women’s staff included decorated NCR coaches. Assisting the men was Louisville’s Emil Walton, who led the Cardinals to a runner-up finish in DI-AA XVs last fall, and assisting the women was Brown’s Ros Chou, whose Bears won the top prize at the CRC in May. 

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Clemson’s Troy Hall didn’t give his whistle a rest this summer, either, as head coach of Team’s men. The Locals men were led by St. Bonaventure’s Tui Osborne, while Indiana’s David Fee assisted the Loonies men and AIC’s T Fletcher assisted the Locals women.  

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Between the lines, several NCR players stood out, making all-tournament teams. Indiana’s Will Chevalier earned the honor in Pittsburgh playing for the Headliners. Hoosier teammate Noah Brown did it with the Loonies in Minneapolis. And Clemson speedster Chris Aurich earned the honor in Austin after scoring a hat-trick in the final, helping the hometown Texas Team lift the cup.  

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On the women’s side, several players logged significant minutes, including Camille White for the Steeltoes and Notre Dame alum Emma Farnan for the Headliners. Southern Nazarene’s Telesi Uhatafe booted up for Team. Mira Costa's Makell Edwards and Michigan's Ember Larson both played for the Golden State Retrievers, and Brown’s Mahdia Parker debuted for the Locals in the Championship in D.C. 

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It was also a summer of education, thanks to an ongoing collaboration between NCR and PR7s to develop coaches, with help from the United States Women’s Rugby Foundation Horizon Initiative. Several NCR women’s all-star coaches shadowed their pro counterparts behind-the-scenes at training and on the sideline during games this summer, with USWRF providing financial support for their members participating in the program. 

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In January, Chou and Experts women’s head coach Irene Gardner attended the NCR Women’s All-Star Cup, scouting talent and conducting separate sessions for players and coaches. This summer, Susquehanna’s Scott Stratton and St. Bonaventure’s Meredith Pyke shadowed PR7s coaches in Washington, D.C. Northern Iowa's Meghan Flanigan and Notre Dame’s Chago Ramirez observed in Pittsburgh. And Eau Claire’s Derek Wagner and Michigan’s Jamie Frech did the same in Minneapolis. 

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