KINGSTON, R.I. – The Norwich University men’s rugby team claimed its first New England Collegiate Rugby Conference (NECRC) Tournament title yesterday wining the NECRC 7s Championship. 

Norwich Cadets Heading to Glendale for USA Rugby National Championship

After falling behind 5-nil at the half, the Cadets of Norwich University blanked an always tough Middlebury College sevens squad in the second half while scoring three tries for the championship. The Panthers and the Cadets each entered the final match with a three win and zero defeat record, each team having defeated all three of the other participants: University of New Hampshire, University of Vermont and host University of Rhode Island.  Norwich's perfect 4-0 record, including the 15-5 come-from-behind victory over Middlebury punches the Cadet's automatic entry into the USA Rugby Division II 7s National Championships hosted in Glendale, Colo. May 19-21. 

Norwich defeated the University of New Hampshire 19-17 in its opener and then downed University of Rhode Island 31-5 in the second game of the day. The Cadets improved to 3-0 with a 19-10 victory over the University of Vermont to set up the final showdown with Middlebury. 

Last Official Event of the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference, URugby Assists

Yesterday was the final event of the NECRC, as the conference will be no more beginning this fall. The University of New Hampshire won the first NECRC 7s title in 2014 with the Coast Guard Academy taking the last two titles before leaving the conference at the end of last season. Event coordinator URugby consulted with the officials of the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference setting timing and match ups in the final conference event.

The event was bitter sweet for conference commissioner Bob Weggler, long-time Norwich head coach. Coach Weggler commented in a phone interview that, " I'm so happy for our kids and our program and we're excited here at Norwich to have won the title." The win secured the 15s and 7s titles sweep for Norwich in the final two spring and fall seasons of the NECRC. 

Norwich Cadets Team Scoring

Mark Hill, Eric Pierone and Josh Johnson all scored a try, while Keegan Frick went 2-for-3 on conversions to lead the Norwich Cadets’ offense in the 19-17 win over UNH. 

Eli Henderson led the Cadets’ offense vs. URI with two tries, while Pierone, Anthony Candrilli and Tom St. Pierre chipped in with one try apiece. Frick went 3-for-4 on conversions and St. Pierre added one as well. 

Candrilli, Nate Rollins and Frick scored in the 19-10 win over UVM with Frick making 2-of-3 conversions. 

The Cadets fell behind 5-0 at halftime vs. Middlebury, Henderson scored two tries and then St. Pierre added another one late to clinch the 15-5 win.

The Cadets’ NECRC 7s title adds to a banner year for the NU men’s rugby program after they went 11-1 in the fall in 15s, claiming the NECRC 15s title and finishing third in the nation with the program’s first USA Rugby Division II 15s Final Four appearance.

Middlebury 2nds won the day in the B side tournament defeating Norwich B side by an extremely close 21-15 in the last game of the day. Like the As, both the Panthers and Cadets came into the fnal contest with a record of 3-0.

NECRC 7s Match Results

24 Middlebury B vs 5 URI B 
17 Norwich B vs 12 UNH B
5 UVM B vs 31 UNH B 
29 Norwich B vs 10 URI B
41 Norwich B vs 5 UVM B 
17 Middlebury B vs 5 UNH B
45 Middlebury B vs 0 UVM B 
5 URI B vs 29 UNH B 
12 UVM B vs 20 URI B
15 Norwich B vs 21 Middlebury B

33 Middlebury A vs 0 URI A 
19 Norwich A vs 17 UNH A 
14 UVM A vs 38 UNH A
31 Norwich A vs 5 URI A
19 Norwich A vs 10 UVM A 
12 Middlebury A vs 10 UNH A
24 Middlebury A vs 5 UVM A
14 URI A vs 31 UNH A
10 UVM A vs 21 URI A
15 Norwich A vs 5 Middlebury A

2017 Chris Munn Scholarship Sevens

Norwich (8-7) will host the Chris Munn 7s Tournament next Sunday, April 30 on Sabine Field starting at 10 a.m.