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 | ||||||
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| Pool A | #1 | BYU Pacific #1 |
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| #16 | Univ. Delaware Mid-Atlantic #2 |
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| #9 | Syracuse Northeast #2 |
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| #8 | Univ. Arizona Southern Cal #2 |
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| Pool D | #5 | Texas A&M West #1 |
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| #12 | Univ. Utah Pacific #4 |
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| #13 | Univ. Tennessee South #2 |
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| #4 | Army Northeast #1 |
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| Pool C | #3 | San Diego State University Southern Cal #1 |
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| #14 | Bowling Green Midwest #1 |
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| #11 | St. Mary’s Pacific #3 |
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| #6 | Arkansas State University South #1 |
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| Pool B | #7 | Penn State University Mid-Atlantic #1 |
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| #10 | Louisiana State University West #2 |
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| #15 | UCLA Southern Cal #3 |
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| #2 | Cal Pacific #2 |
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WOMEN’S BRACKET
| Round of 16 | Round of 8 | Semi-finals | Final | Champion | ||||||
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| Pool A | #1 | Penn State University Mid-Atlantic #1 |
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| #16 | UMass Northeast #3 |
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| #9 | Univ. WI – Milwaukee Midwest #1 |
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| #8 | Cougar Women’s Rugby Pacific #3 |
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| Pool D | #5 | UC – Davis Pacific #2 |
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| #12 | UCLA Southern Cal #1 |
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| #13 | Univ. Delaware Mid-Atlantic #4 |
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| #4 | Army Northeast #1 |
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| Pool C | #3 | Navy Mid-Atlantic #2 |
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| #14 | Univ. Colorado West #2 |
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| #11 | Univ. North Carolina South #1 |
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| #6 | Brown University Northeast #2 |
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| Pool B | #7 | Univ. Virginia Mid-Atlantic #3 |
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| #10 | Texas A&M West #1 |
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| #15 | Univ. Northern Iowa Midwest #2 |
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| #2 | Stanford Pacific #1 |
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