ACRL 2014-2015 Schedule
2014-2015 Schedule and Results for the Atlantic Coast Rugby League
Haglid to Coach West Chester
West Chester University’s Men’s team has signed on Bjorn Haglid as their new Head Coach.
Delaware Rugby Loses Last AppealThe University of Delaware men's rugby team had their appeal of their five year suspension rejected earlier this month, as a University appellate panel said the team had not shown enough remorse for the actions of September 9, 2013, and did not prove that the entire program had bought into the team's proposed changes. The original suspension came as the result of a huge party that was started by two members of the rugby team. Despite several admonitions throughout the team that the party was not a rugby club event, once things got out of control, the rugby team was blamed. Twitter messages calling the original site of the party the Rugby House didn't help. The party quickly grew as word go out that an internet show that is centered around filming college students drunk and acting immaturely was there.
USA Rugby Announces Men's All Americans
BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby has selected the 2013-14 Men’s Collegiate All-American, Honorable Mention All-American, and Sevens All-American teams, honoring deserving men’s college rugby players from across the country.
Matt Sherman’s AIG Men’s Collegiate All-Americans recently finished their summer tour with matches against Cambridge University and Ontario Blues, while the MCAA Sevens team will participate in the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens – a tournament Tony Pacheco’s squad won in 2013 – in Glendale next month.
West Point Programs to Go Varsity
The United States Military Academy rugby teams will be made varsity programs starting August 1.
The decision, made by the USMA Senior Policy Board, which is chaired by the Academy's Superintendent, Lt. Gen. David H. Hunton, Jr., comes on the heels of a disciplinary action against the Army men's team, an action that began in the spring of 2013.
At that time it became known that the players on the men's team were operating an email newsletter that circulated jokes and comments about the team, the players, and their friends and fellow cadets. Several of the comments were rude, offensive, and contrary to the policies of the Academy. As a result, the team was suspended, all players had to go through sensitivity training and other punishments, and Director of Rugby Rich Pohlidal lost his job.
Swiryn Takes Over as UW Head Coach
The University of Washington alumni association has announced that former Eagle Kevin Swiryn will be taking over as Head Coach.
The Husky Alumni Association Director, Mike Alfstad, said that previous Head Coach (and another former Eagle), Brian Schoener, stepped down because his growing family needs his attention.
The Board expressed its deep appreciation of the great strides, on and off the pitch, the club took under the three years of Schoener's leadership.
Swiryn, who had joined UW as an assistant, now takes over as Head Coach. Swiryn was an All American at St. Mary's, where he captained the team, and was also captain of the USA 7s team. He was capped in 15s, as well, and played in the 2011 World Cup before retiring due to an accumulation of injuries.
USA Rugby Examining "Championship" Claims
USA Rugby will likely be taking some actions this year to protect the term “National Championship.” It’s unclear whether USA Rugby can actually do this, but they are looking at ways to prevent other competitions (highest profile being the Collegiate Rugby Championship - CRC - and the Varsity Cup) from calling themselves a National Championship. The CRC used to be called the CCI (Collegiate Championship Invitational), and it is, by all measurements, an invitational. USA Rugby has moved its 7s national championship to the spring for 2014-15, an acknowledgement that the CRC is higher-profile, won’t change dates, and has staked out late May and June as college 7s time. But several in USA Rugby have been pushing the image of their 7s championships as one where you need to qualify to play, while the CRC is an invitational, and should be called as such.
U. Michigan Looking for Head Coach
The University of Michigan is looking for a new Men's team Head Coach.
The position is a paid one, with the successful candidate getting $7,000 per semester (Fall and Winter), plus a percentage of all annual donations to the team.
The team needs a coach as soon as possible.
The job summary is as follows:
The Men’s Rugby Club (a Sponsored Student Organization at University of Michigan) is seeking a highly motivated head coach who can provide on-field guidance for the team as well as personalized instruction when necessary.
The candidate should possess strong leadership and mentoring skills as well as rugby knowledge and experience.
Responsibilities
Organize and conduct all practices, supervise all training and matches
Travel with team to away matches and regional/national/international competitions
Konrad Makes Us Believers
The recent Men’s Collegiate All American assembly produced some interesting selections - see Madison Hughes playing three different positions, for example - and, as always, some slightly surprising developments; perhaps one of the most intriguing was the development of Kalei Konrad.
Everyone’s favorite German-Japanese-Hawaiian flyhalf from San Diego capped off a very successful season with three straight starts at flyhalf for the All Americans. This despite the fact that the likes of Garrett Brewer and Hughes were challenging for the #10 jersey. Konrad emerged with his snappy generalship, calm head, and solid good kicking ability as the best.
Arkansas State Confirms Varsity Cup Move
Akransas State University Head Coach Mani Delaibatiki has confirmed that the Red Wolves will play their postseason in the Varsity Cup in 2015.
ASU has been part of DIA since its inception, losing the 2012 final to BYU in a 49-42 thriller at Rio Tinto Stadium. But in 2013 BYU and Cal started their own postseason competition, a single-elimination competition that also included several other major college programs.
The reasons, said Delaibatiki, were about exposure.
Lawrenson Gets Offer from Counties Manukau
Recently-graduated Kutztown University All American Mike Lawrenson has been asked to join the Counties Manukau Steelers in New Zealand's ITM Cup competition.
Lawrenson was seen by former All Black star Tana Umaga, who is the Steelers' player-coach, when Umaga was in the United States and attended the College Rugby Championships 7s invitational. In the CRC, Lawrenson was a huge factor in KU getting to the final.
USA Rugby Moving College 7s Championship to the Spring
USA Rugby will be moving their college 7s championships to the spring. USA Rugby collegiate chief Rich Cortez confirmed with Goff Rugby Report that the USA Rugby event, which has been held in the fall the last three years, will finally move to the spring, likely before the CRC invitational run by United World Sports. For years, now, these two tournaments have been at odds, not so much because of who runs them (although that's part of it), but because of when they were held. The CRC came first, holding its first tournament in June of 2010. USA Rugby's Board pushed for competing tournament and that came to fruition in 2011. But that jut made it difficult for some teams to compete. Eventually the process saw teams play qualification tournaments through the fall moving toward the fall national championship, with many of those colleges balancing 15s at the same time.
USA Rugby Names College Academic Honor Roll
BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby has announced their National Collegiate Rugby Scholar Honor Roll, a list of college rugby players who have demonstrated academic excellent by posting a cumulative grade point average of ay least 3.7 out of 4.0.
In USA Rugby's announcement, USA Rugby Director of College Rugby Rich Cortez said: “On behalf of our USA Rugby collegiate programs of more than 900 teams, Tam Breckenridge, associate director of College Rugby, and I congratulate these scholar-athletes on their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom. The criteria for this award require commitment and determination in both arenas. We wish the honorees continued success in their chosen fields.”
A Lawrenson June
It’s been a pretty good June for Mike Lawrenson. The towering lock forward for Kutztown University helped propel the Golden Bears to the CRC Final, then he was named All American, and after that enjoyed three very strong games for the collegiates in the just-completed assembly.
That Lawrenson scored a try in the final game, a try that helped put the All Americans briefly in the lead over the Ontario Blues, was just reward for his work.
It doesn’t end there. Lawrenson may well be going on to play rugby and study at Palmer College in Iowa, although there are rumors that he’s caught the eye of the some prominent rugby people along the way. Certainly USA Head Coach Mike Tolkin likes him, and could well draft the lock into the USA Selects team for the Americas Rugby Championship.
It all seems to be coming together.
