Davenport Canada Trip ValuableDavenport University came back from Ontario with two victories, albeit in practice games with open subs and non-standard game-lengths. Still, the two games were a good boost for the team, as they also took time to visit around Niagara Falls and bond as a team. “The goal was to have the boys spend some time together in an environment where the focus wasn't on rugby, but rather enjoying each other's company,” said Head Coach James Wood. “Cultivating new friendships and building upon those already in place, getting to know the guy that's going to be playing next to you all season - all of that is part of becoming a team.” As a varsity team, Davenport trains just about every day, and that can seem like rugby is a job.
Rubber Match in Offing for DII Winners?
Division II rugby may well be gearing up for a third Duluth-Salisbury clash in the space of 18 months, as the colleges that fought for two national title last year enter the fall season.
Last year, Salisbury defeated Minnesota-Duluth in the spring 2012-2013 final, and then, with the season being shifted to all-fall, the Fighting Penguins hammered the Sharks to make it 1-1.
Will it be the rubber match this fall? Several other colleges might argue, but at the moment UMD and Salisbury head the list.
For Duluth, the season has already started with a practice game against Northern Michigan. Head Coach Jeramy Katchuba said he was happy with the first run-out for a team that has seen some good players graduate.
Michigan Happy with StartThe University of Michigan may be adjusting to a new coach in Brandon Sparks, but the team is also thinking about how close they came to a Big Ten championship last year. The Wolverines lost to Indiana in the Big Ten title game last fall, and while they showed well after that, including in the CRC 7s invitational, that loss has stuck with them.
Davenport 2-for-2 in Canada
Davenport University’s men’s team came out of their short fur to Canada 2-0, after beating McMaster in a quasi-scrimmage, and defeating University of Western Ontario 44-19.
The Panthers were led by Brady Gent, a junior flyhalf from Rockford, Mich., who scored two tries in the McMaster practice game and added three conversions and a penalty for 19 points.
Jacob Woltjer, a sophomore back from Grandville, Mich., and Carl Smith, a junior loose forward from Brother Rice in Chicago, Ill., also touched down against McMaster.
Buffalo, Navy Win
The University of Buffalo and Notre Dame College met up this weekend in a warmup for both teams.
Notre Dame, a still-new varsity program playing in DII, is coming off a loss to Wheeling Jesuit, while UB beat Niagara last week. In an exciting, back-and-forth game, Notre Dame overcame some early penalty trouble to turn an 8-0 deficit into a 14-8 lead. Buffalo came with two tries to lead 20-14, but Notre Dame scored once more to make it 20-19 UB with a couple of minutes remaining.
UB held Notre Dame College out, though, and held on to win 20-19.
Leading the way for Buffalo was lock and captain Colin Tucker, who was stalwart in the tight five, and outside center John Grasso, who scored a try and kept up the tempo even when he was drafted in to play scrumhalf late in the game.
Warmup Wins for Lindenwood, Michigan
The top two teams from the 2013 season of the Big Ten were in action this weekend against varsity teams, with mixed results.
Michigan, thanks to tries from Jared Bosma, Zach Burns, and Cole Van Harn, defeated Wheeling Jesuit 24-15. WJU did take the 2nd-side game 39-0, but it was a solid effort from the Wolverines 1st side.
Meanwhile, defending Big Ten champs Indiana dropped a 56-27 decision to Lindenwood University.
For Lindenwood, the game was an important bounce-back from a humbling national DIA semifinal loss to St. Mary’s last spring.
“No one was happy with how we ended last season,” said Lindenwood Head Coach JD Stephenson. “St. Mary’s outplayed us - we were outclassed. But we learned a lot after that game, about how we play and how we prepare ourselves.”
Washington Huskies are Young But Hungry
Every college rugby team wants to improve, but improvement doesn’t always come on a coach’s timetable.
In the 2013-2014 season, the University of Washington ended the season perhaps good enough to be the second-best team in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference. But an early-season, and very close, loss to Oregon, a team they later tied, consigned the Huskies to second in the NCRC West, meaning they faced up with Central Washington in the semis. That wasn’t easy, and they lost convincingly.
But UW got a competitive lifeline when they entered the Varsity Cup's new DIAA invitational bracket. They won out and took the title, beating Weber State, Idaho State, and Utah Valley in the process.
Payne Gets Promotion at Life U
Marietta, Ga. - Life University has announced that their Rugby Head Coach, Dan Payne, has been promoted to Assistant Athletics Director.
The former USA flanker, who was a longtime star for OMBAC in San Diego and coached San Diego State, joined Life in 2009 as Director of Rugby. During that time, he launched the undergraduate team - Life has previously been fielding only a men's club side - and has now overseen the beginning of a women's undergraduate team. Payne will remain in his role as Director of Rugby, in addition to his new responsibilities as Assistant Athletic Director.
Sooner Rugby Gets Big Job
The University of Oklahoma rugby program’s push to gain greater acceptance on campus received a boost this week when the OU Athletics Department selected Sooner Rugby to be the Booster Greeters at home football games.
This might sound like busy work, but it’s a job that carries some significant prestige. To have the OU rugby team be the first group of students who welcome boosters at the special parking entrances for team supporters, and to be the first mode of contact for those boosters, is a sign that the school holds the rugby team in high esteem.
Clemson Takes Experienced Squad into Season
Clemson University's men's team has confirmed its 2014-2015 schedule and is looking ahead to a big season.
The defending ACRL 15s champions graduated just one player from their first team, MVP Back Eddie Abreu, so comes back experienced and with depth.
Davenport Opens Season in Canada
Thursday marks the opening game of the season for the Davenport University men’s team, and it’s an opportunity to bounced back from a weird 2013-2014 season.
Last year, Davenport lost all six of their league games, but because they lost mostly close games to their highly-regarded conference opponents (Life, Arkansas State, and Lindenwood), the Panthers retained a high place in USA Rugby’s DIA rankings, and thus got a playoff game against Army, which they won.
So, winless though they were in league play, Davenport ended up ranked 5th in DIA by USA Rugby. Ranking or no, the Panthers know they want to do better this year. Head Coach James Wood has several players coming back for their 5th year.
Varsity Warmup in Ohio
Wheeling Jesuit and Notre Dame College met Sunday in a preseason game between two varsity programs, with WJU coming out 26-7 winners.
It was a game designed to get both teams some on-field time as they gear up for their respective season - WJU is in Rugby East and will shoot for a DIA title this year, and Notre Dame College is in DII.
In a game filled with the predictable early-season mistakes, WJU ran out to a 21-0 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Notre Dame were a little more accurate and held the Cardinals to just one try, while center Rodney Thomas scored a try for the Falcons.
Maryland Loads Up for Big SeasonPlenty of college teams are looking ahead to their freshman recruits and how that group of new players will help their teams, but the University of Maryland may well be the team most heavily-anticipating the arrival of one player. It’s not that Ben Cima can win games all on his own, but the High School All American and USA U20 flyhalf out of Gonzaga brings with him a rare skill set.
Hughes Balances 7s, Dartmouth Goals
There’s a lot on the plate of Madison Hughes, as the former USA age-grade star is set to captain Dartmouth and also compete for a place on the USA 7s team.
Hughes is part of the 7s Eagles High Performance assembly, and after that will return to New Hampshire to help Dartmouth prepare for a challenging Ivy League season. Head Coach Gaivn Hickie told Goff Rugby Report that he supports Hughes’s plans to push for a 7s spot, and so will expect his captain to be absent for a few weekends this season.
Hughes and Hickie both say there are players on the Dartmouth team to back him up.
Colorado State Pushing for More
It's been a busy summer for the Colorado State University men's rugby team.
While playing rugby is the reason the club exists, there are other things to do, and the players are beginning to understand that it helps to be well thought-of in your actions off the field.
The club has worked hard to counteract the negative image of rugby in American colleges (an image that is improving, but always needs help). They have been volunteering in a variety of community activities, from working at the local food bank to volunteering for the CSU Safe Rude Home program.
"Our club has made it an off-the field goal to win the CSU Club of the Year award," said club assistant coach Ryan Walker.
