SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento State Hornets will host the second annual California State University (CSU) 7s Championship on September 20th, 2014 on the campus of California State University, Sacramento. The tournament will feature 12 of the top CSU Rugby Teams including defending champions Cal Poly Mustangs, San Jose State Spartans, San Diego State Aztecs, and hosts Sacramento State Hornets.

The CSU 7s Championship tournament will serve as an automatic qualifier for USA Rugby’s 2014 College 7s National Championship, meaning that the winner will earn their spot amongst the nation’s elite universities to compete for a national title in College 7s rugby. In addition, the last team standing will be crowned the CSU 7s Champion, a title currently held by defending champions Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Mustangs. The Mustangs defeated the hosts, Sacramento State, 19-10, in a thrilling championship matchup to conclude the 2013 inaugural tournament.

The CSU 7s Championship has established itself as one of the country’s premier College 7s tournaments, allowing CSU teams from throughout the state of California to qualify for a shot at a USA Rugby 7s national title.

In 2013, as USA Rugby College 7s continued to expand, multiple CSU teams expressed considerable interest in a 7s tournament format where CSU teams could battle each other for a seed at Nationals. With over a dozen CSU rugby clubs competing at multiple division levels in 15s rugby, the CSU 7s Championship allows these competitive clubs to increase their standard of play and challenge each other in the abbreviated 7s formation of the sport. Moreover, CSU 7s clubs have a fair shot at USA Rugby’s College 7s National Championship. USA Rugby has sanctioned the CSU 7s Championship as an automatic qualifier for nationals, further solidifying the spirited level of competition this tournament is sure to provide.

The inaugural 2013 CSU 7s Championship featured some great competition and this year’s tournament should not disappoint. Defending champions Cal Poly Mustangs are expected to bring a powerful side ready to defend their title. CSU 7s Championship runner-ups Sacramento State are also expected to compete for a spot in the final round. The Hornets have experienced a successful summer playing 7s at the men’s club level and are preparing to be a competitive side during the upcoming college season.

Hornets Head Coach Adam Macrae expressed optimism about the upcoming 7s season, “I am looking forward to this upcoming season after a successful summer our players had playing in the Northern CA 7s Series under Coach Justin Prichard. Coach Prichard has agreed to stay on and help coach our 7s team through the fall. He brings a wealth of knowledge and knows how to win.”

The Hornets are fortunate to have Coach Prichard on board, as he is certainly no stranger to success on the rugby pitch. A Sacramento native and All-American flanker from University of Arizona, Coach Prichard led Sacramento State to a D2 National Championship in 2000, and helped coach Sacramento State’s 15s side to multiple playoff appearances and top-25 finishes in Division 1 since then. Coach Prichard coached the Hornets this past summer in the Northern CA 7s Series, a top-level men’s 7s competition. The Hornets finished the series in 4th place behind champions SF Golden Gate, and top ranked Olympic Club and EPA Razorbacks.

Many of Sacramento State’s top players from last year’s tournament have graduated, but Coach Macrae is confident in his youthful side. The backs are led by sophomore Isaiah Brown, a versatile and talented young fly-half who can create plays from anywhere on the field. In addition, Hornet Forwards Wayne Caspers and Zeke Shockley are powerful players in the tackle, and should expect to gain noticeable meters with the ball in hand.

Despite the progression of the young Sacramento State team, Coach Macrae remains cognizant of the tough competition at the college level, “Top tier teams including San Diego State, Cal Poly, Long Beach, and Chico are going to be tough, well-coached teams, and our boys will have to be very focused on our goals in order to emerge victorious. The boys have been working hard all summer, and I am proud of their ability to compete at high levels, but we will have to work even harder to make sure we get back to that final matchup and win in this upcoming tournament.”

Defending champions Cal Poly return many of their star players from last year’s tournament including sophomore Matt Long, who sidestepped his way into the try zone multiple times in last year’s CSU 7s Championship as a freshman. And Mustang junior Mark Grzanich, who notched two tries in the final, including the game winner to seal the deal over the Hornets helping send Cal Poly to the USA Rugby College 7s National Championship. The Mustangs are sure to be eager to defend their CSU 7s title, and also qualify for their second consecutive year at nationals. But the Hornets and the rest of the CSU teams are just as eager to strip the Mustangs of this honor.

The Chico State Wildcats have a familiar rivalry with the Hornets, and Cal Poly and San Diego State have established a reputation for being two of the top teams in California. Last year, San Jose State turned heads throughout the tournament with powerful athletes who showed that lower division 15s teams are ready to compete with the best of them in 7s. Humboldt State, Cal Maritime, and Long Beach State are all teams with a storied rugby tradition, and all of these CSU rugby teams have an opportunity to compete for a spot as nationals, and a chance to be named CSU 7s Champions. Cal State Northridge, Fresno State, San Francisco State, Sonoma State, and Monterey Bay were all able to win games in the 2013 tournament, and 2014 should prove to be another thrilling venue.

“Each year 7s rugby is gaining more and more momentum, especially at the college level. We are seeing various regions organize tournaments with similar themes and we decided this would be a great opportunity to showcase the talent of the California State University rugby clubs,” stated Coach Macrae. “15s is great, but 7s offers a special type of excitement, and I think American audiences who are unfamiliar with rugby will be quicker to appreciate the sport after watching 7s. We are very excited to host this event and we are getting similar feedback from the teams who have confirmed their attendance at the tournament.”

The 2014 California State University 7s Championship will be held on the campus of CSU, Sacramento on September 20th, 2014. Two of Sacramento’s most popular businesses, Extreme Soccer & Rugby and Roxy Restaurant, will be sponsoring and catering the tournament.

The 2014 CSU 7s Championship has twelve spots available, and the tournament entry fee is $300 per team. Pool play results will dictate placement for championship rounds including a chance to win the Bowl, Plate, and Cup Championship. The Cup Winner will be awarded an automatic bid to the USA Rugby College 7s National Championship. Spaces are limited and payment is required by September 1, 2014. For more information on the CSU 7s Championship, please visit www.sacstatemensrugby.net or e-mail CSU Tournament Director Ryan Carr at ryancarr12@gmail.com for any questions regarding tournament entry.

The California State University is a public university system in California comprised of 23 campuses enrolling 437,000 students, and is the largest four-year public university system in the United States. Since 1961, nearly three million alumni have received their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees from the CSU system.

California State Universities Eligible for Participation in the 2014 CSU 7s Championship (12 spaces available)

CSU, Bakersfield

CSU, Channel Islands

CSU, Chico

CSU, Dominguez Hills

CSU, East Bay

CSU, Fresno

CSU, Fullerton

CSU, Humboldt

CSU, Long Beach

CSU, Los Angeles

CSU, Maritime

CSU, Monterey Bay

CSU, Northridge

CSU, Pomona

CSU, Sacramento

CSU, San Bernardino

CSU, San Diego

CSU, San Francisco

CSU, San Jose

CSU, San Marcos

CSU, San Luis Obispo

CSU, Sonoma

CSU, Stanislaus