Kutztown, WOU, Denver Qualify, Lone Star Women to Crown Champ

With just three weekends left to qualify for the Collegiate Rugby Championship, the competition is heating up. Three men’s teams claimed bids to the CRC last weekend, and one women’s team will punch its ticket Saturday. 

Kutztown became the sixth team to earn a bid to the Men’s Premier Cup last weekend, defeating Indiana, 19-17, to win the Fighting Irish 7s in Notre Dame, IN. Kutztown defeated Minnesota, 32-0, in the opening round, Aquinas in the quarterfinals, 31-12, and Notre Dame College in the semifinals, 19-12. Indiana defeated Western Michigan, 27-5, in the opening round, Iowa Central, 15-12, in the quarterfinals, and Marian, 27-0, in the semifinals.

The Men’s Premier Cup qualifier series now breaks for Easter weekend before punching two more tickets at Monumental 7s in Quincy, MA April 6 and the Cherry Blossom in Washington, DC April 13. 

Western Oregon and the University of Denver also earned automatic bids last week, winning Men’s Small College open qualifiers in Monmouth, OR and Greeley, CO, respectively. The Wolves went 4-0-1 at their home qualifier, avenging the lone draw to Oregon Tech, 36-5, in the final. Coached by Eagle Cody Melphy, the Pioneers went 5-0 and beat Central College on the last play of the final to win in Colorado.  

The Lone Star Conference will crown Division I and Division II champions Saturday in Lubbock, TX. The DI winner earns an automatic bid to the Women’s Premier Cup, and defending champion Southern Nazarene looks to be the favorite. UT San Antonio represented the Lone Star in DII2 last spring.

The Midwest Conference will crown its champion and representative for the CRC over a three-stop qualifier series beginning Saturday at Iowa State. The second leg is April 6 at Minnesota, and the finale is April 13 at Northern Iowa.

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