College rugby
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Collegiate club rugby (a collegiate version of rugby union) is played throughout universities in the United States of America. Unlike most university sports, collegiate club rugby is not administered by the National Collegiate Athletic Association or university athletic departments and is instead regulated by USA Rugby and club rec departments. Although 15's rugby is clearly stressed in the league, the 10's and 7's variants can be routinely seen. For all intents and purposes, collegiate club rugby represents this first level competitiveness in the US's relatively small system.
The University of California at Berkeley has won 22 of 27 Division I club championships since tournament play began in 1980.
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[edit] Organization
However, similarities between the two systems essentially stop at the names of these divisions. In the NCAA, a school's division determines its recruiting abilities. NCAA Division I is generally reserved for larger schools that can afford to entice athletes with athletic scholarships. Many schools including the very successful Cal Rugby team, however, do not offer scholarships for men's rugby. NCAA Division III classification is generally given to smaller schools whose only bait for althetes is actual acceptance to their institution.
Collegiate club rugby's division system places teams in three club divisions based purely on the strength of the actual team. Thus, small schools with a very successful club program can be Division I, provided they show themselves capable. Conversely, large schools with young club programs often can be found in Division III.
Division and conference placement is based on the club's success from the previous year. Each LAU has its own rules of governance, but in most cases, the team that wins its division or conference has the right to advance to the next highest division or conference. Conversely, the club with the least success that year might be relegated to competing in the next lowest division or conference. Sometimes winning clubs choose not to exercise this right to advance, instead preferring to stay in their club division. As a result of this mentality, it is not uncommon to see Division III teams defeat Division II club or even Division I club teams (the latter being much rarer). See also Promotion and relegation.
[edit] National Club championships
This section contains a list of the last ten Division I national champions.
[edit] Men's Club
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- Before 1997:
YEAR CHAMPION RUNNER-UP
1980 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up United States Air Force Academy
1981 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Harvard University
1982 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Life College
1983 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up United States Air Force Academy
1984 Harvard University, runner-up Colorado
1985 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Maryland
1986 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Dartmouth
1987 San Diego State University, runner-up United States Air Force Academy
1988 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Dartmouth
1989 United States Air Force Academy, runner-up Long Beach State
1990 United States Air Force Academy, runner-up Army
1991 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Army
1992 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Army
1993 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up United States Air Force Academy
1994 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Navy
1995 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up United States Air Force Academy
1996 University of California, Berkeley, runner-up Penn State
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- 1997 onward:
YEAR CHAMPION RUNNER-UP
1997-University of California, Berkeley 41 Penn State 15
1998-University of California, Berkeley 34 Stanford University 15
1999-University of California, Berkeley 36 Penn State 5
2000-University of California, Berkeley 62 University of Wyoming 16
2001-University of California, Berkeley 86 Penn State 11
2002-University of California, Berkeley 43 Utah 22
2003-United States Air Force Academy 45 Harvard University 37
2004-University of California, Berkeley 46 Cal Poly 24
2005-University of California, Berkeley 44 Utah 7
2006-University of California, Berkeley 29 Brigham Young 26
[edit] Women's Club
1998- Radcliffe College
1999- Stanford University
2000- Penn State University
2001- Chico State University
2002- United States Air Force Academy
2003- United States Air Force Academy
2004- Penn State University
2005- Stanford University 53 Penn State University 6
2006- Stanford University 15 Penn State University 12
[edit] Division 2 Club
[edit] Men's Club
2001- Baylor University 29 Arkansas State University 16
2002- Stanford University 26 University of Northern Iowa 15
2003- Radford University 32 University of Northern Colorado 22
2004- Salisbury Steak 43 Arkansas State University 24
2005- University of Northern Colorado 24 Humboldt State University 22
2006- United States Coast Guard Academy 17 University of Northern Colorado 12
