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Young Stars Get 7s Look at Serevi RugbyTown 7s

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Young Stars Get 7s Look at Serevi RugbyTown 7s

BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby announced its three teams to compete at the 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens at Infinity Park in Glendale Aug. 15-17.

Tony Pacheco will coach the AIG Men’s Collegiate All-American Sevens, while new Men’s Eagles Sevens Assistant Coach Chris Brown and former Eagles head coach Al Caravelli will take charge of the USA Falcons and USA Hawks, respectively. Pacheco will be assisted by Evan Haigh, and Caravelli will have Eagle veteran and former High School All-American Sevens coach David Fee to call on as an assistant coach.

Pacheco’s All-Americans took home the $10,000 prize at the 2013 tournament with an undefeated record and victories against Bermuda, El Azul, Air Force, Tiger Rugby, and two against the hometown Glendale Raptors.

Only Shaun Potgieter of Arkansas State University and University of Delaware’s Glen Thommes return to Pacheco’s championship squad.

“I am excited to work with these student-athletes,” Pacheco said. “They represent some of the best in collegiate rugby.

“With 10 new players from last year’s squad we will need to use our time together efficiently to achieve success.”

The Falcons boast current and former Eagles Pat Blair, Andrew Durutalo, Nese Malifa, Ryan Matyas, Marcus Satavu, Pila Taufa, Maka Unufe, and Michael Ziegler. Perry Baker, one of the newest players in residency at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., was also selected to the team that lost out in the Bowl Final of 2013’s Serevi RugbyTown Sevens.

Arkansas State University scrumhalf and 2013 USA Rugby Emirates Airline College 7s National Championship Most Valuable Player Dillon Carrion is one of the Hawks’ 12 exciting players, which also includes Men’s Eagles High Performance Sevens camp attendee Tyler Coffman of Central Washington University.

Fifteen colleges are represented across the three teams, including D1A Finalists Saint Mary’s College and Life University.

Denver Sevens, Northeast ODA, Negro y Azul, and Glendale will also feature in Glendale with several Eagles Sevens candidates.

With the 2014 USA Rugby Emirates Airline Club 7s National Championship in Seattle, Wash., and Limerick World Club 7s in Ireland Aug. 9-10, and Premiership Rugby’s World Club 7s at Twickenham Stadium Aug. 16-17, there is no shortage of premier sevens rugby this month for players with Olympic aspirations.

San Francisco Golden Gate and New York City 7s represented the U.S. in Limerick, while New York will meet up with Elite City Sevens Champion Seattle in London for World Club 7s. Contracted Eagles and players in the national team pool make up the rosters for the three teams traveling across the pond, which will help build the pool’s résumé as the second Men’s Eagles High Performance Sevens camp draws nearer.

In selecting the MCAA, Falcons, and Hawks rosters, the goal of National Sevens Director Alex Magleby was to ensure the players with national team hopes were given the chance to play for a spot at the OTC, be it in Glendale, Seattle, Limerick, or London.

“There are plenty of opportunities for players to play their way into a future Eagles camp,” Magleby said. “We wanted to make sure the pool was covered as much as feasible where availabilities allowed, so some players were kept with their Olympic Development Academy or local club team for Club 7s or World Club 7s as opposed to bumping them into the Collegiate All-Americans, Falcons, or Hawks in Colorado.”

On top of the U.S. representative sides participating on three fronts, the United States is also sending men’s and women’s teams to the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympics with Rugby Sevens on the Games Program. The 24 players between the ages of 16 and 18 will play for an Olympic medal beginning Aug. 17.

The Falcons and Hawks will open their Serevi RugbyTown Sevens campaigns against each other Friday, Aug. 15, at 2:28 P.M. MT, while the MCAAs will begin their title defense against the Royal Air Force at 3:34 P.M. MT. All matches at Infinity Park will be streamed live.

Follow @aarugby on Twitter for updates from the teams in Colorado.


 

AIG Men's Collegiate All-American Sevens | 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens

First NameLast NameSchool/ClubHeightWeight (lbs.)
JoshBowerCentral Washington University & Seattle-OPSB5'11"185
HarleyDavidsonLife University5'11"180
ChrisFrazierNortheastern University & New England Prime6'3"225
MartinIosefoUniversity of Montana6'1"215
TonataLautiUniversity of Utah5'8"175
KingsleyMcGowanSaint Mary's College5'11"195
ShaunPotgieterArkansas State University6'1"220
JoeReaveySaint Mary's College5'9"180
AdamSandstromArizona State University & Chicago Lions6'3"210
AladdinSchirmerCentral Washington University6'3"225
SebSharpeUniversity of California Los Angeles5'9"185
GlenThommesUniversity of Delaware & Schuylkill River6'3"220

AIG Men's Collegiate All-American Sevens | Coaching Staff 
Tony Pacheco - Head Coach 
Evan Haigh - Coach 
Eric Taber - Manager 
Brian Finn - Trainer

AIG Men's Colleagiate All-American Sevens | 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens 
v Royal Air Force - Friday, Aug. 15 @ 3:34 P.M. MT 
v Northeast - Friday, Aug. 15 @ 6:08 P.M. MT 
v Denver - Saturday, Aug. 16 @ 1:06 P.M. MT


 

USA Falcons | 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens

First NameLast NameSchool/ClubHeightWeight (lbs.)
PerryBakerMen's Eagles Sevens & Columbus-18236'1"180
PatBlairAt Large6'1"220
AndrewDurutaloMen's Eagles Sevens & Seattle-OPSB6'2"245
ValeneseMalifaMen's Eagles Sevens5'10"190
RyanMatyasAt Large6'0"190
DonPatiPark City Haggis5'7"180
MarcusSatavuNew Haven Bulldogs6'0"210
PilaTaufaMen's Eagles Sevens6'3"205
RyanThompsonTempe6'2"200
ChrisTuroriOMBAC6'4"225
MakaUnufeMen's Eagles Sevens6'2"200
MichaelZieglerMen's Eagles Sevens & Columbus-18236'4"230

USA Falcons | Coaching Staff 
Chris Brown - Head Coach 
Paul Goulding - Manager & Analyst 
Brian Green - Trainer

USA Falcons | 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens 
v USA Hawks - Friday, Aug. 15 @ 2:28 P.M. MT 
v Negro y Azul - Friday, Aug. 15 @ 5:24 P.M. MT 
v Bermuda - Saturday, Aug. 16 @ 12:00 P.M. MT


 

USA Hawks | 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens

First NameLast NameSchool/ClubHeightWeight (lbs.)
ChristianAdamsAmerican International College5'9"215
DylanCarrionArkansas State University5'6"150
TylerCoffmanCentral Washington University6'3"210
JJCorpuz-JacksonAmerican International College6'2"233
TyElkinsColumbus-18236'0"193
BradHarringtonUniversity of California Berkeley6'2"195
BubbaJonesSaint Mary's College5'9"200
ShawnRileyNotre Dame College5'10"190
KennyScottKansas City Blues6'4"210
SamSirrellUniversity of California Los Angeles5'11"205
MaxTacketCalifornia Polytechnic State University6'0"205
JimmyWolferSt. Joseph's University5'9"175

USA Hawks | Coaching Staff 
Al Caravelli - Head Coach 
David Fee - Coach & Manager 
Brian Finn - Trainer

USA Hawks | 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens 
v USA Falcons - Friday, Aug. 15 @ 2:28 P.M. MT 
v Bermuda - Friday, Aug. 15 @ 5:46 P.M. MT 
v Negro y Azul - Saturday, Aug. 16 @ 12:22 P.M. MT