USA Rugby’s Collegiate National Championships comes to SB

Local rugby fans are in for a treat this weekend as UCSB’s Harder Stadium is hosting 16 men’s and women’s teams taking part in USA Rugby’s Collegiate National Championships. It is the first time in the program’s history that it is hosting so many games for the national tournament.

Games begin on Friday at 1 p.m. and continue through Sunday. A one-day pass is $10 and a full 3-day pass is $15. Harder Stadium’s ticket office will be open starting at noon on Friday. Pool A and C of the men’s bracket will be in Santa Barbara along with Pools B and D on the women’s side.

Schools in the men’s bracket include defending national champion BYU, Saint Mary’s, Arkansas State, San Diego State, Arizona, Delaware, Syracuse and Bowling Green. Four-time national champion Stanford headlines the women’s teams, which also include UCLA, UC Davis, Delaware, Army, Virginia, Texas A&M and Northern Iowa.


Neither of UCSB’s teams made the national tournament although the women’s team was close, falling to the Bruins in their divisional championship. The UCSB men’s team hasn’t made the national tournament since 2007, which was the Gauchos’ fourth-straight appearance. The men’s best result was making it all the way to the Elite 8 in 2006.

UCSB’s rugby program is still very much involved with the weekend, however, as the event acts as a fundraiser for UCSB’s teams. Head coach Kevin Battle said his players will be all over the place making sure the event is as pleasurable as possible for spectators and athletes alike.

Battle singled out two matches on Friday for being especially intriguing.  The day’s opening clash between St. Mary’s and Arkansas State should be a high-scoring affair while defending national champion BYU faces Delaware at 7 p.m.

“It should be pretty ferocious and fast-paced competition,” Battle said.

Full bracket’s for men’s and women’s play can be found below.

MEN’S BRACKET

Round of 16 Round of 8 Semi-finals Final Champion
Pool A #1 BYU
Pacific #1




#16 Univ. Delaware
Mid-Atlantic #2
#9 Syracuse
Northeast #2

#8 Univ. Arizona
Southern Cal #2
Pool D #5 Texas A&M
West #1


#12 Univ. Utah
Pacific #4
#13 Univ. Tennessee
South #2

#4 Army
Northeast #1
Pool C #3 San Diego State University
Southern Cal #1



#14 Bowling Green
Midwest #1
#11 St. Mary’s
Pacific #3

#6 Arkansas State University
South #1
Pool B #7 Penn State University
Mid-Atlantic #1


#10 Louisiana State University
West #2
#15 UCLA
Southern Cal #3

#2 Cal
Pacific #2

WOMEN’S BRACKET

Round of 16 Round of 8 Semi-finals Final Champion
Pool A #1 Penn State University
Mid-Atlantic #1




#16 UMass
Northeast #3
#9 Univ. WI – Milwaukee
Midwest #1

#8 Cougar Women’s Rugby
Pacific #3
Pool D #5 UC – Davis
Pacific #2


#12 UCLA
Southern Cal #1
#13 Univ. Delaware
Mid-Atlantic #4

#4 Army
Northeast #1
Pool C #3 Navy
Mid-Atlantic #2



#14 Univ. Colorado
West #2
#11 Univ. North Carolina
South #1

#6 Brown University
Northeast #2
Pool B #7 Univ. Virginia
Mid-Atlantic #3


#10 Texas A&M
West #1
#15 Univ. Northern Iowa
Midwest #2

#2 Stanford
Pacific #1