WOMEN'S RUGBY

BOULDER, Colo. - USA Rugby officially announced the full field of teams for the USA Rugby National Guard Men's and Women's College Playoffs, which are set to kick off on Friday, April 18, at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, N.M.

In addition to finalizing the qualifying teams, USA Rugby is also able to announce its broadcast schedule for the USA Rugby National Guard College Club Playoff event. The USA Rugby Network will broadcast all of the games set to play on Field 1 and will be available by streaming video via USA Rugby's website (www.usarugby.org.) 

The Norwich women's rugby team's quarterfinal matchup versus Shippensburg is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., on Saturday, April 19, and the contest will be one of eight matches to be video streamed online. Should the Cadets defeat Shippensburg, they would advance to play the winner of the UC-Santa Cruz/Wayne State game on Sunday, April 20, at 10 a.m.

This year's event boasts all 48 qualifying teams for the first time in USA Rugby history and features many familiar faces in addition to the few surprising newcomers that always pop up in a National collegiate tournament of this size.

The Division II Women's bracket features the 2007 runner up and 2006 champions, UC Santa Cruz as a No. 2 seed, while the only other returning team from 2007 is Norwich University. Six new teams fill in this bracket, with the University of Minnesota-Duluth taking the top seed and Claremont College, East Carolina University, Shippensburg, Wayne State University and Western Washington University rounding out the competing eight, which should make for some interesting outcomes.  

Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park will feature eight fully functional pitches surrounded by USA Rugby's Live Festival event. The event will include sponsor booths with rugby gear, interactive games and USA Rugby giveaways. The college teams from across the U.S. vie for the opportunity to advance through the first two rounds of their respective championship brackets in hopes of playing in the USA Rugby National Guard College Club Championships, on May 2-3, at Stanford University. 

Cost for the event is $10 per day or $25 for the weekend. Youth and military receive a significant discount and tickets can only be purchased at the gate.

USA Rugby has the unique opportunity to host Lynn Evans, a well-known England Rugby Football Union (RFU) coach consultant, at a player clinic immediately following the event on Sunday. Evans will be working with high school programs from across the state of New Mexico and will be helping players improve their basic skills through a game sense approach.  The clinic is free to all players who choose to attend and coaches are welcome to observe.

Finalized Match Schedule*

Friday, April 18

1:30: Dartmouth v BYU (DI MEN)

1:30: San Diego State v Arkansas State (DI MEN)

2:00: St. Mary's v Air Force (DI MEN)

2:00: Bowling Green State v Kutztown (DI MEN)

2:30: Cal v Tennessee (DI MEN)

2:30: Army v Cal Poly (DI MEN)

3:00: Penn State v Minnesota (DI MEN)

3:00: Colorado v Utah (DI MEN)

4:00: Northern Iowa v Stanford (DI WOMEN)

4:00: Virginia v Colorado (DI WOMEN)

4:30: Brown v West Chester (DI WOMEN)

4:30: UCLA v UC Davis (DI WOMEN)

Saturday, April 19

9:00: Penn State v Florida (DI WOMEN)

9:00: Chico State v Indiana (DI WOMEN)

9:00: Texas A&M v Cal (DI WOMEN)

9:00: Vassar v Navy (DI WOMEN)

10:30: Coast Guard v Loyola (DII MEN)

10:30: Michigan v Radford (DII MEN)

10:30: Middlebury v Northern Colorado (DII MEN)

10:30: Utah Valley State v East Carolina (DII MEN)

11:30: Norwich v Shippensburg (DII WOMEN)

11:30: Wayne State v UC Santa Cruz (DII WOMEN)

11:30: East Carolina v Claremont (DII WOMEN)

11:30: UNM-Duluth v WWU (DII WOMEN)

1:30: Winner of Dartmouth/ BYU v Winner of SDSU/ Arkansas State (DI MEN)

1:30: Loser of Dartmouth/ BYU v Loser of SDSU/ Arkansas State (DI MEN)

2:00: Winner of St. Mary's/ Air Force v Winner of BGSU/ Kutztown (DI MEN)

2:00: Loser of St. Mary's/ Air Force v Loser of BGSU/ Kutztown (DI MEN)

3:00: Loser of Cal/Tennessee v Loser of Army/ Cal Poly (DI MEN)

3:30: Winner of Cal/Tennessee v Winner of Army/ Cal Poly (DI MEN)*

3:30: Winner of Penn State/ Minnesota v Winner of Colorado/ Utah (DI MEN)

3:30: Loser of Penn State/ Minnesota v Loser of Colorado/ Utah (DI MEN)

4:00: Winner of Stanford/ UNI v Winner of Virginia/ Colorado (DI WOMEN)

4:00: Loser of Stanford/ UNI v Loser of Virginia/ Colorado (DI WOMEN)

4:30: Winner of Brown/ West Chester v Winner of UCLA/ UC Davis (DI WOMEN)

4:30: Loser of Brown/ West Chester v Loser of UCLA/ UC Davis (DI WOMEN)

Sunday, April 20

8:30: Winner of Texas A&M/ Cal v Winner of Vassar/ Navy (DI WOMEN)

8:30: Loser of Texas A&M/ Cal v Loser of Vassar/ Navy (DI WOMEN)

8:30: Winner of Penn State/ Florida v Winner of Chico State/ Indiana (DI WOMEN)

8:30: Loser of Penn State/ Florida v Loser of Chico State/ Indiana (DI WOMEN)

10:00: Winner of Norwich/Shippensburg v Winner of Wayne State/ UC Santa Cruz(DII WOMEN)

10:00: Loser of Norwich/Shippensburg v Loser of Wayne State/ UC Santa Cruz (DII WOMEN)

10:00 Winner of ECU/ Claremont v Winner of UNM-Duluth/ WWU (DII WOMEN)

10:00: Loser of ECU/ Claremont v Loser of UNM-Duluth/ WWU (DII WOMEN)

11:00: Winner of Coast Guard/ Loyola v Winner of Michigan/ Radford (DII MEN)

11:00: Loser of Coast Guard/ Loyola v Loser of Michigan/ Radford (DII MEN)

11:00: Winner of Middlebury/UNCo v Winner of UVSC/ECU (DII MEN)

11:00: Loser of Middlebury/UNCo v Loser of UVSC/ECU (DII MEN)

*Please be aware times have changed to accommodate broadcast schedule

Webcast Matches

Friday, April 18

2:00: St. Mary's College vs. Air Force (DI Men)

4:00: Univ. of Northern Iowa v Stanford (DI Women)

Saturday, April 19

9:00: Penn State v Univ of Florida (DI Women)

11:30: Norwich v Shippensburg (DII Women)

1:30: Winner of Dartmouth/ BYU v Winner of SDSU/ Arkansas State (DI MEN)

3:30: Winner of Cal/Tennessee and Winner of Army/Cal Poly (DI Men)

Sunday, April 20

8:30: Winner of TX A&M/ Cal and winner of Vassar/ Navy (DI WOMEN)

11:00: Winner of Coast Guard/ Loyola and winner of Mich/ Radford (DII MEN)

For full tournament brackets, seeds and match ups please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/usar_championships and click on the respective collegiate division.