GRR: Notre Dame College
It has been a tumultuous year for Notre Dame College, but the Falcons have been able to win – big – behind the stabilizing leadership of players like Hannah Gauthreaux. The junior has been on the 7s radar, having already played internationally for teams like Atlantis and Tiger Cubs, but she’s had to lean on a different set of skills to navigate the Falcons through a tough spring.
Notre Dame College ran away with the Women’s DII College National Championship, defeating UC Riverside 69-10 at Kennesaw State, Ga. It is the Falcons’ first USA Rugby 15s title, and it comes as the varsity team prepares for the leap to DI next season.
Denver may well be the final DII swoop from the Notre Dame College Falcons, as the men’s program is slated to move up to DI after the 7s championships, and the women’s team is expected to move up to DI after this coming Saturday’s DII spring final against UC Riverside.
This weekend is it. The fall and spring college champions will meet at Kennesaw State this Saturday and contest the women’s DI and DII national championships. First-year varsity program Central Washington will challenge reigning DI titleholder Penn State, while UC Riverside will attempt to continue its spring winning streak against Notre Dame College.
Notre Dame College hosted a four-team women’s 7s tournament last weekend, and the victor was guaranteed a berth to the national 7s championship on May 23-24 in Denver. DI Michigan and Ohio State got in some good warm-up games as they look toward this weekend’s Big Ten 7s championship, but the event was all about Notre Dame College vs. Davenport.