Collegiate Rugby Championship
Current season, competition or edition: 2015 Collegiate Rugby Championship | |
| Sport | Rugby sevens |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Inaugural season | 2010 |
| CEO | Jon Prusmack |
| No. of teams | 20 |
| Country | United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | California (2015) (3rd title) |
| Most titles | California (3 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | NBC and NBC Sports Network |
| Official website |
usasevenscrc |
The Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC), is a college rugby sevens tournament held every June at PPL Park in Philadelphia. The CRC is the highest profile college rugby competition in the United States, with the tournament broadcast live on NBC every year. The CRC has capitalized on the surge in popularity of rugby following the 2009 announcement of the addition of rugby to the Summer Olympics.
The Collegiate Rugby Championship has succeeded in drawing media attention.[1] NBC recognized that rugby is growing in popularity, participation and interest,[2] and NBC's broadcast of the inaugural 2010 CRC was the first time college rugby had been broadcast live on network TV in the US.[3] NBC Sports Programming President, Jon Miller, described NBC's support of the Collegiate Rugby Championship, "We're hoping to see continued growth in the ratings and the attendance. We like the sport a lot, and we've given it a great time period and a real plumb position on our schedule."[4] The CRC has posted respectable TV ratings, with the TV audience for the CRC larger than that of the NCAA lacrosse championships.[5][6]
Due in part to the exposure from NBC's broadcasts, the tournament has attracted several blue chip corporate sponsors, including Geico, Subway, Toyota and Bud Light.[7] The CRC is popular with fans, with over 17,000 fans turning out to watch the 2011 tournament,[8] and over 18,000 fans in attendance at the 2012 tournament.[9] In September 2014, Penn Mutual life insurance company announced a multi-year title sponsorship of the annual championship, which is now titled the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship.[10]
The Collegiate Rugby Championship has sparked a mini revolution in college rugby, prompting scores of schools to begin offering a rugby sevens program.[11] One of the schools that has benefited from the publicity generated by the CRC tournament has been the University of Texas. Following Texas' participation in the CRC, Texas "raised an additional $10,000 from alumni, landed a new apparel sponsor, and have been contacted by 90 students (including two DBs from the football team) who want to play rugby."[12] The CRC has also given a boost of exposure to lesser known schools with strong rugby programs. For example, when Life University went undefeated in pool play and reached the semifinals of the June 2–3 2012 CRC, Life University's Wikipedia page was viewed by 9,800 people that weekend.[13]
Format and qualifying
The first day of the two-day tournament features 20 teams divided into 5 pools of 4 teams, with the top team in each group advancing to the quarterfinals, along with the three best second-placed teams. The second day of the tournament is knockout play, featuring the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
The majority of the participating teams are invited to the tournament based on the quality of the school's rugby program and on the school's fan appeal. Certain teams also qualify by winning their conference 7s tournament.
History
The inaugural 2010 Collegiate Rugby Championship, at the time known as the Collegiate Championship Invitational (CCI), was held in Columbus, Ohio, at the Columbus Crew Stadium. Utah defeated Cal 31–26 in overtime in a thrilling final. Bowling Green's Rocco Mauer led the tournament with 11 tries and was named tournament MVP by Rugby Mag.[14]
The 2011 Collegiate Rugby Championship moved to PPL Park in Philadelphia, PA. NBC increased their coverage over the previous year, devoting 14 hours of coverage to the tournament.[15] California and Arizona were favored after cruising to victories in the first day of pool play, but both were knocked out in quarterfinal upsets. Dartmouth beat Army 32–10 in the final.
Because of the strong support that the tournament has received from Philadelphia fans and its new title sponsorship of the Horsham, PA based Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, the CRC will remain in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future.[16]
Past Results
Men
| Year | Venue | Final | Bronze | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-up | Winner | Score | Runner-up | ||||
| 2010 | Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, OH |
Utah | 31–26 | California | Arizona San Diego State |
N/A | N/A | ||
| 2011 | PPL Park, Philadelphia, PA |
Dartmouth | 32–10 | Army | Utah | 12–10 | Central Washington | ||
| 2012 | PPL Park, Philadelphia, PA |
Dartmouth | 24–5 | Arizona | California | 26–7 | Life University | ||
| 2013 | PPL Park, Philadelphia, PA |
California | 19–17 | Life University | Navy UCLA |
N/A | N/A | ||
| 2014 | PPL Park, Philadelphia, PA |
California | 24–21 | Kutztown | Life University UCLA |
N/A | N/A | ||
| 2015 | PPL Park, Philadelphia, PA |
California | 17–12 | Kutztown | Life University Arizona |
N/A | N/A | ||
- No third place match was played in 2010, 2013, 2014 or 2015.
Women
- 2011 - Army 14, Penn State 5[17]
- 2012 – not held
- 2013 – Penn State 31, Ohio State 5[18]
- 2014 – Penn State 29, James Madison University 12
- 2015 – Penn State 24, Lindenwood 7
Results by Team
- Legend
- 1st — Champions
- — Champions
- 2nd — Runners-up
- 3rd — Third place
- 4th — Fourth place
- • — Did/Will not play
- P — Will play in upcoming tournament
For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament (in parentheses) is shown.
| Team | Conf/Div | 2010 (16) |
2011 (16) |
2012 (16) |
2013 (20) |
2014 (20) |
2015 (20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | PAC | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Dartmouth | Ivy | 5th | 1st | 1st | 5th | 6th | 9th |
| Utah | PAC | 1st | 3rd | • | • | • | • |
| Life University | Div 1-A | • | • | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Arizona | PAC | 4th | 5th | 2nd | 8th | 15th | 3rd |
| Kutztown | Div 1-A | • | • | • | 7th | 2nd | 2nd |
| Army | Div 1-A | 13th | 2nd | 15th | • | • | • |
| UCLA | PAC | • | • | • | 3rd | 3rd | 10th |
| San Diego State | Div 1-A | 3rd | • | • | • | • | • |
| Navy | Atlantic Coast | 8th | 12th | 6th | 4th | 7th | 6th |
| Central Washington | Independent | • | 4th | • | • | • | • |
| Delaware | Div 1-A | • | • | 5th | 9th | • | • |
| Michigan | Big Ten | • | • | • | • | 5th | 8th |
| Arkansas State | • | • | • | • | • | 5th | |
| Penn State | Div 1-A | 14th | 8th | 13th | 6th | 8th | 15th |
| Tennessee | Southeastern | 6th | • | • | • | • | • |
| Wisconsin | Big Ten | • | • | 7th | 12th | • | • |
| Indiana | Big Ten | 12th | • | • | • | • | 7th |
| Ohio State | Big Ten | 7th | 14th | • | • | 12th | • |
| Florida | Southeastern | 15th | • | 9th | 15th | • | • |
| LSU | Southeastern | • | 9th | • | • | • | • |
| Texas | Southwest | • | 7th | 8th | 19th | 18th | 20th |
| Maryland | Atlantic Coast | • | • | 10th | • | 9th | • |
| Bowling Green | MAC | 9th | • | • | • | • | • |
| Notre Dame | Independent | 11th | 10th | 14th | 10th | 14th | 13th |
| Arizona State | PAC | 10th | • | • | • | • | • |
| Northeastern | East Coast | • | • | • | 13th | 10th | • |
| Oklahoma | Allied | • | 13th | 11th | • | • | • |
| North Carolina | Atlantic Coast | • | 11th | • | • | • | • |
| Virginia Tech | Atlantic Coast | • | • | • | 14th | 11th | 11th |
| St. Joseph's | Keystone | • | • | • | 11th | 13th | 14th |
| Air Force | • | • | • | • | • | 12th | |
| North Carolina St. | Atlantic Coast | • | • | 12th | 16th | • | • |
| Temple | Keystone | • | 15th | 16th | 18th | 17th | 17th |
| Boston College | East Coast | • | 16th | • | • | • | 18th |
| Harvard | Ivy | 16th | • | • | • | • | • |
| Alabama | Southeastern | • | • | • | • | • | 16th |
| Drexel University | MARC | • | • | • | • | 16th | • |
| Penn | Ivy | • | • | • | 17th | 20th | • |
| South Carolina | Southeastern | • | • | • | • | 19th | • |
| Villanova | • | • | • | 20th | • | • | |
| Clemson | Atlantic Coast | • | • | • | • | • | 19th |
Popularity
| Year | TV Viewership & Ratings (Channel) | Stadium Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | ?? | ?? |
| 2011 | 0.6 (NBC)[19] | 17,894[20] |
| 2012 | ? | 18,149[21] |
| 2013 | ? | 19,275[22] |
| 2014 | 427,000 (NBC)[23] | 17,079 |
| 2015 | 24,813[24] | |
Rivalries
Despite the fact that the CRC tournament has only been around since 2010, the tournament has seen some notable rivalries:
- Army v. Navy[25] - these Service Academy rivals met every year from 2010–12, with Navy holding a 2-1 edge.
- Texas v. Oklahoma - these Big 12 rivals met in 2011 & 2012, with Texas winning both encounters.
- Cal v. Utah - these Pac-12 rivals met in the knockout rounds of the 2010 & 2011 tournaments, with the underdog Utah upsetting the favored Cal both times.
Notable Past Players and Coaches
The Collegiate Rugby Championship has been notable for its ability to showcase the emerging stars of US rugby.[26][27] In 2012, representatives from all 12 clubs in the English Premiership (the top professional league in England) attended the CRC, where the Premiership coaches scouted talent from the 16 university teams competing.[28]
The following athletes who have starred in the CRC and made the All Tournament Team have gone on to play for the United States national rugby team in international competitions:
| Player Name | CRC All Tournament | College |
|---|---|---|
| Rocco Mauer | 2010 | Bowling Green |
| Colin Hawley | 2010 | California |
| Thretton Palamo | 2010 | Utah |
| Blaine Scully | 2010, 2011 | California |
| Tim Stanfill | 2011 | Cent. Washington |
| Peter Tiberio | 2011, 2012 | Arizona |
| Brett Thompson | 2012, 2013 | Arizona |
| Cam Dolan | 2012, 2013 | Life University |
| Seamus Kelly | 2010, 2013, 2014 | California |
| Madison Hughes | 2012, 2013, 2014 | Dartmouth |
| Danny Barrett | 2013 | California |
Alex Magleby, who became head coach of the United States national rugby sevens team in 2012, was previously head coach of Dartmouth, the team he coached to victory at the 2011 Collegiate Rugby Championship and 2012 Collegiate Rugby Championship.
Leading players
| Year | Leading Try Scorer | Leading Point Scorer | MVP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Rocco Mauer (Bowling Green) (11) | Rocco Mauer (Bowling Green) (55) | Rocco Mauer (Bowling Green State) |
| 2011 | Peter Tiberio (Arizona) (8) | Peter Tiberio (Arizona) (54) | Chris & Nick Downer (Dartmouth) |
| 2012 | Trevor Tanifum (Maryland) (10) | Derek Fish (Dartmouth) (60) | Madison Hughes (Dartmouth) |
| 2013 | Joe Cowley (Life Univ) (9) | Joe Cowley (Life Univ) (81) | Seamus Kelly (Cal) |
| 2014 | |||
| 2015 | Jake Anderson (Cal)[29] | ||
Notes:
- Tournament MVP as selected by Rugby Mag / Rugby Today.
See also
- College rugby
- USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships
- College Premier Division
- Atlantic Coast Rugby League
- Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference
- Ivy Rugby Conference
- USA Sevens
- Rugby union in the United States
References
- ↑ "7s tournament points to resurgence of invitationals", Gainline.us, Nov. 11, 2011.
- ↑ Bleacher Report, NBC to Broadcast Collegiate Sevens Rugby Championship, March 6, 2010, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/358141-nbc-to-broadcast-collegiate-sevens-championship
- ↑ Bleacher Report, Rugby: NBC's Collegiate Sevens Championship Preview, June 3, 2010, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/400735-rugby-nbcs-collegiate-sevens-championship-preview
- ↑ Rugby Mag, Fans Can Make Rugby Work on TV - NBC, May 1, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4390:fans-can-make-rugby-work-on-tv-nbc&catid=149:usa7s-crc&Itemid=392
- ↑ "Varsity Cup, USA 7s parent, NBC in landmark pact", Gainline, June 21, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
- ↑ "College Rugby Shines Under TV Spotlight Created by 2016 Olympics", Bloomberg, Mason Levinson, May 28, 2015.
- ↑ PRNewswire, Utah Utes Win Inaugural USA 7's Rugby Collegiate Championship Invitational on NBC, June 6, 2010, http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/utah-utes-win-inaugural-usa-7s-rugby-collegiate-championship-invitational-on-nbc-95741209.html
- ↑ Philly.com, "Big turnout for Rugby Sevens tournament at PPL Park," June 6, 2011, http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/123210403.html.
- ↑ "PPL Park to host college rugby championship through 2014", The Times Herald, June 3, 2012.
- ↑ http://www2.pennmutual.com/content/public/about-pennmutual/press-room/press-releases/releases/2014/09/pennmutual-rugbychampionship-varsitycup.html
- ↑ Gainline.us, 7s tournament points to resurgence of invitationals, Nov. 11, 2011, http://www.gainline.us/gainline/2011/11/7s-tournament-points-to-resurgence-of-invitationals.html
- ↑ Rugby Mag, 15 Teams Invited to 2012 CRC, Nov. 3, 2011, http://rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2555:15-teams-invited-to-2012-crc&catid=73:collegiate-sevens&Itemid=91
- ↑ http://stats.grok.se/en/latest/Life_University
- ↑ Bleacher Report, College Rugby: Utah Upsets Cal To Win Sevens Title, June 7, 2010, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/402408-college-rugby-utah-upsets-cal-to-win-sevens-championship
- ↑ Philly.com, Rugby sevens championships to get plenty of TV exposure, June 2, 2011, http://articles.philly.com/2011-06-02/sports/29613371_1_usa-rugby-usa-sevens-international-rugby-board
- ↑ Rugby Mag, CRC to Return to PPL Park in 2012, June 5, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1151:crc-to-return-to-ppl-park-in-2012&catid=73:collegiate-sevens&Itemid=91
- ↑ Army Inaugural Women 7s Champions
- ↑ Finlan, Jackie (3 June 2013). "PSU Women, CRC 7s' Best". Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ↑ We Are Rugby, College Sevens TV Ratings, June 17, 2011, http://www.wearerugby.com/news/articles/college-sevens-tv-ratings
- ↑ "Big turnout for Rugby Sevens tournament at PPL Park" http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/123210403.html.
- ↑ The Times Herald, PPL Park to host college rugby championship through 2014, June 3, 2012, http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120603/SPORTS02/120609886/source-ppl-park-to-host-college-rugby-championship-through-2014
- ↑ RugbyMag, CRC Crowd Up from 2012, June 2, 2013, http://www.rugbymag.com/tournaments-special/crc/8280-crc-crowd-up-from-2012.html
- ↑ "College Rugby Shines Under TV Spotlight Created by 2016 Olympics", Bloomberg, Mason Levinson, May 28, 2015.
- ↑ "CRC Attendance Record Shattered", Rugby Today, May 31, 2015.
- ↑ Philadelphia Daily News, Army-Navy rivalry resumes in rugby tournament at PPL Park, June 1, 2012, http://articles.philly.com/2012-06-01/sports/31960206_1_army-navy-rivalry-midshipmen-football-ppl-park
- ↑ "Tanifum Steals the Show at CRC", Rugby Mag, June 6, 2012.
- ↑ "Cal favored to make history at Collegiate Rugby Championship", NBC OlympicTalk, Nick Zaccardi, May 28, 2015. ("Based on the track record, you have to look at this tournament if you’re going to pluck some American players off the sevens pitch and put them in the national team pipeline . . . “There’s no better place than here.")
- ↑ "Aviva Premiership Clubs to be at CRC", April 30, 2012.
- ↑ "Cal Tops Kutztown in Overtime For CRC Title", Rugby Today, May 31, 2015