CRAA To Hold All-American East-West Match Next Spring
CRAA To Hold All-American East-West Match Next Spring
Charlotte, NC – The Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) is about to announce that it will unveil a CRAA All-Americans East vs. West match during next spring.
This will be a curtainraiser for the Anthem Rugby Carolina MLR team to be held in May in Charlotte, NC.
This match will be the culmination of an assembly and training for top CRAA players around the country. The players will be selected by a committee composed of coaches from CRAA and the USA Men’s National Team. The All-American players will represent their regions and compete to earn selection to the Anthem Academy squad powered by USA Rugby, which is scheduled to tour South Africa in the summer of 2025.
“This is a monumental moment for collegiate rugby in the United States,” said Paul Santinelli, Executive Director of CRAA. “The East vs. West All-Americans game allows our top collegiate players to showcase their skills nationally while being evaluated for international competition. It highlights CRAA’s commitment to player development and aligns directly with USA Rugby’s high-performance pathway.”
CRAA has positioned itself as the high performance collegiate organization and certainly the MLR draft numbers bear that out. The East vs. West showdown is designed to elevate the level of competition and provide a critical stepping stone for young athletes aspiring to represent the United States at the highest level.
Scott Lawrence, Head Coach and General Manager of the USA Men’s XVs National Team, emphasized the significance of this initiative: “This competition is a key part of the project Gemini 18-23 big play aimed at developing the next generation of Eagles. By bringing together the best collegiate players under the eyes of national team coaches, we’re building a pipeline that feeds directly into our international programs. I’m excited to see the talent on display and how these players seize this incredible opportunity.”
USA Rugby and CRAA will similarly group in 2025 to align on talent identification across the Women’s collegiate programs within CRAA, collaborating on regional opportunities for selection to USA Women’s Junior National Team tours expected this summer.
To help ensure the success of this initiative, independent sponsors and donors will play a crucial role in subsidizing the cost of training assemblies, travel, and lodging for the All-American players. CRAA is inviting supporters of rugby and the growth of the sport in the United States to join in making this new event possible. Those interested in contributing can use Stripe for online contributions here>> For more information on sponsorship and donation opportunities, please contact Paul Santinelli (psantinelli@craa.rugby)
The match will serve as a prelude to a Major League Rugby event at Anthem RC, promising fans a full day of thrilling rugby action. Additional details, including ticketing and kickoff times, will be announced in the coming months.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact: psantinelli@craa.rugby
Selectors for the East team will be Navy Head Coach Gavin Hickie, Lindenwood Head Coach Josh Macy, and USA Assistant Coach Neethling Gericke. Zac MIzell (Penn State) and Blake Bradford (Life) will be the coaches.
For the West team, Tim O'Brien (Saint Mary's), Paul Keeler (Santa Clara), and USA Head Coach Scott Lawrence will be the selectors, while UCLA Head Coach Harry Bennett and Saint Mary's Assistant Coach will be the coaches.
