BOULDER, Colo. (USA Rugby) – Sixty-seven athletes will descend upon the California Maritime Academy campus in Vallejo, Calif., July 14-19 for the USA Rugby Men’s Junior and Collegiate Stars and Stripes Camp presented by WellDog.

D1A Rugby National Champion Saint Mary’s College and runner-up Life University have five representatives headed to the inaugural Camp, which will culminate with the Stars and Stripes Match Saturday, July 18, at 10 a.m. PT.

The Camp will be the first opportunity for the new AIG Men’s Collegiate All-American staff to work in a national team-assembly environment. Gavin Hickie, an experienced assistant coach with multiple USA Rugby All-American teams, was named head coach of the MCAAs earlier this year. Clemson University’s Justin Hickey and Yale’s Greg McWilliams have been tasked with assisting the Dartmouth University head coach.

“The All-American coaching staff is very excited to work with this year’s best junior and collegiate players in Camp,” Hickie said. “Working in unison with our Eagle Eye Scout Network and coaches from around the country, we believe we have assembled a formidable All-American pool.”

The Camp will run alongside the Men’s Eagles’ World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup assembly. The young athletes will work with members of the senior national team and its coaching staff as they prepare for the international tests against Samoa and Japan in San Jose and Sacramento, respectively.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity, really,” USA Rugby Director of Performance Alex Magleby said. “Many of our best under-20 athletes competing with our best collegiate students alongside the senior national team, with coaches from the Junior All-Americans, Collegiate All-Americans, and Eagles Sevens and 15s all converging together in one time and place to train with the same physical, technical, and tactical principles.”

Men’s Eagles Sevens Assistant Coach Chris Brown will also be in attendance following the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games to bring the renowned “YAKAYARD” fitness regimen to Camp. Brown and Head Coach Mike Friday, along with the remaining members of staff, improved the Eagles’ fortunes on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series with a disciplined approach that will only benefit athletes seeking national team selection.

“I’m excited to see the potential at the Junior and Collegiate Stars and Stripes Camp presented by WellDog,” Brown said. “We’re looking for quality ‘YAKAYARD’ mongrels and athletic specimens that can play rugby or are coachable.”

WellDog, an energy-focused technical services company, signed on as presenting sponsor of the first Junior and Collegiate Stars and Stripes Camp in June to assist in USA Rugby’s development at the age-grade level. Players from this Camp will be selected to play with the AIG Men’s Collegiate All-American Sevens team at Serevi RugbyTown Sevens in August, others will train with Taranaki Rugby in New Zealand, and overall standouts will be shortlisted for selection to MCAA and MJAA teams.

“The best athletes from the Camp, in certain key positions, will be given the opportunity to be immersed in the New Zealand NPC Development season with partners Taranaki, as well as opportunities for further elite play in Australia with help from WellDog,” said Magleby.

“We are fortunate an innovative company like WellDog sees the unconventional and fresh take in this approach to emerging elite player development.”