Navy Midshipmen rugby

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Flag of the United States.svg Navy Midshipmen Rugby
Navy Athletics logo.svg
Full nameNavy Midshipmen Rugby
Union USA Rugby
Nickname(s)Midshipmen
Founded1963;62 years ago (1963)
Location Annapolis, Maryland
Ground(s)Prusmack Rugby Complex
Coach(es) Gavin Hickie
League(s)Rugby East
Official website
navysports.com/sports/mens-rugby

The Navy Midshipmen rugby team is the college rugby team of the United States Naval Academy. The Midshipmen have won one championship since the national collegiate championships for rugby began in 1980.

Contents

History

Founded in 1963 and a varsity sport since the 2022–23 school year, Navy plays its regular season in the Rugby East Division 1-A Rugby conference. In 2009 Navy had 88 registered players making it the largest college rugby program in the United States. [1]

Navy's rugby program is one of the most successful college rugby programs in the country. Since the inception of the national collegiate championship in 1980, Navy men's rugby reached the national semifinals twice in the 1980s and reached the semifinals 7 times during the 12-year span from 1996 to 2007. [2] In the 2010–11 season Navy reached the national quarterfinals and finished the season ranked 9th in the country. [3] Navy finished the 2012–13 season first in the Atlantic Coast Rugby League, and ranked 11th in the country. [4] To date Navy's most successful season was their undefeated 2023 campaign culminating in a 28–22 victory over Cal in the 2023 Division 1-A Rugby Championship, their first title. [5] [6]

Sevens

Navy has been successful in rugby sevens. Navy competed in the Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) from 2010–2019 and in 2023, reaching the quarter-finals on seven occasions and the semi-finals twice in 2013 and 2019. Navy also played in the 2012 USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships, advancing to the quarterfinals and finishing with a 4–2 record, including a win over rival Air Force. [7]

Performance

National championships

Division 1-A Rugby - Division I

The following table is a list of each of the national championships since 1980 in which Navy has reached at least the semifinals.

Ed.SeasonChampionRunner-UpThird / Semi-finalistsFourthLocationMatch Report
1
 1980 California Air Force IllinoisNavyDavenport, Iowa [8]
4
 1983 California Air ForceNavyIllinoisAthens, Ga. [9]
15
1994 California Navy Air ForcePenn StateDufour Stadium, Catholic University, D.C. [10] [11]
17
1996 California Penn State StanfordNavyColorado Springs, CO [12]
19
1998 California StanfordNavy IUP Balboa Park, San Francisco, CA [13]
20
1999 California Penn StateNavyArmyBalboa Park, San Francisco, CA [14]
22
2001 California Penn StateNavyArmyVirginia Beach, VA [15]
25
2004 California Cal Poly-SLO Air Force / NavySteuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA [16]
26
2005 California UtahBYU / NavySteuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA [17]
28
2007 California BYUNavy / Penn StateSteuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA [18]
42
 2023 Navy CaliforniaBYU / LindenwoodHouston, Tex. [19]
43
 2024 St. Mary's NavyBYU / LifeHouston, Tex. [20]

Collegiate Rugby Championship (Sevens)

YearLocationPositionRecord
2010 Columbus, OHQF1–2–1
2011 Philadelphia, PAChallenger SF1–4
2012 Philadelphia, PAQF2–2
2013 Philadelphia, PASF3–2
2014 Philadelphia, PAQF2–2
2015 Philadelphia, PAQF3–1
2016 Philadelphia, PABowl QF0–4
2017 Philadelphia, PABowl SF1–4
2018 Philadelphia, PAQF3–1
2019 Philadelphia, PASF4–1
2023 Boyds, MarylandPremier Challenge QF0–3

References

  1. ↑ Examiner.com, Gamecocks 4th largest rugby club in US, Oct. 12, 2009
  2. ↑ "National Collegiate Rugby Championships". CalBears.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-15.
  3. ↑ Rugby Mag, Final CPD Rankings for 2010-2011, May 24, 2011, "Final CPD Rankings for 2010-2011". Archived from the original on 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  4. ↑ Rugby Mag, All Divisions College Top 25, May 22, 2013, "All Divisions College Top 25 May 22, 2013, presented by Selective Service". Archived from the original on 2013-06-21. Retrieved 2013-05-25.
  5. ↑ College Premier Division
  6. ↑ "Men's Rugby Rallies to Win First National Championship". Navy Sports. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ↑ Rugby Mag, Navy Men and Women Excel at 7s Nats, Dec. 4, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/news/colleges/collegiate-sevens/6598-navy-men-and-women-excel-at-7s-nats.html Archived 2012-12-08 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "Cal, Blues Take Rugby Titles Again". (May 11, 1981). The Independent & Gazette, p.15 col.5
  9. ↑ "Golden Bears Win Fourth Straight Rugby Title". (May 9, 1983). The Daily Californian, p.1 col.1-2
  10. ↑ "RUGBY". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Rugby". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Cal captures sixth straight rugby title". SF gate. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "Cal clings to rugby crown". SFGate. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Cal continues its reign in rugby". SFGate. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "Cal Crushes Penn State for National Rugby Championship". Cal Bears. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "Cal Wins 20th National Championship". Cal Bears. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "Bears Win 21st National Title". Cal Bears. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "Cal Claims Title with 37-7 Win over BYU". Cal Bears. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Navy Caps Off 18-0 Season With Dramatic Final Win Over Cal". Goff Rugby Report. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "Gael Force. Saint Mary's Holds Off Navy for D1A Championship". Goff Rugby Report. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
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