Two Men’s College 7s tournaments kick off this weekend.

The Capital Series goes into leg #2 after James Madison took the first leg two weeks ago. This series isn’t a qualifier for anything, but organizers would like it to be at some point.

James Madison, having just enjoyed a pretty good run at the LVI men’s college tournament, will return, and will be in a pool with Kutztown’s 2nd team, Salisbury, and Virginia Commonwealth. Pool B has Kutztown’s 1st team, hosts Mary Washington, Loyola, and Maryland.

This will be an interesting run-out for Kutztown, which always has a very good 7s program.

JMU did well in Las Vegas, and looks to bigger things. David Barpal photo.

Meanwhile, there is a qualifier going on. Notre Dame College, which came within a hair of winning the LVI last week, will dust itself off to host the NDC 7s. 

This will be a nine-team competition with three pools of three teams. NDC is expected to bust out a solid effort, and will be in Pool A with Kent State and Dayton. Pool B is a question-mark group, with Xavier, Michigan, and St. Bonaventure. Bonnies, now being coached by former 7s Eagle Tui Osborne, could be a dark horse. In Pool C, Big XII champs West Virginia, University of Cincinnati, and Miami of Ohio meet up.

Cincinnati has been playing a lot of 15s of late, and logging some impressive scores. But Coach Nick Lauterbach said he’s been pleased with how the entire squad has embraced its way of playing. 

“I am not sure how serious they took 7s in the past, but these guys want to put out their best effort,” said Lauterbach, who will look to Eric Lalley - a No. 8 in 15s - to get them going forward. “We know we can compete.”

The nine teams will play two pool games each, and then eight will go on to the quarterfinals, while the 9th team will play Notre Dame College’s 2nd team.