College Men
The Arizona State rugby program opened its preseason with a win 53-22 win over Grand Canyon University in Tempe, Ariz. this past weekend.
The time finally came, and in fact the time came with just a few minutes left in the first half.
This was the Men’s DII College final, and leading into halftime Wisconsin-Whitewater was leading 7-3. Only 7-3.
Notre Dame College has booked a place in the 2016-17 national DIAA final with a nicely balanced defeat of Bowling Green State University Sunday morning.
The game, held at Furman University in Greenville, NC, was the USA Rugby Fall DIAA final, and the winner is slated to meet the Spring, 2017 DIAA winner in May.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will play in the team’s third-straight national men’s DII college final after the Warhawks rode a torrid second half to defeat Norwich Saturday in the semis.
The teams were almost deadlocked - 24-22 - at halftime. But Whitewater’s backline exploded for six tries in the second half to win going away 58-29.
Furman University pulled off quite the upset Saturday, winning their Men’s National DII semifinal over three-time defending champs Minnesota-Duluth 32-29.
Bolstered by a vocal home crowd - the semis were held at Furman - the Paladins played some sterling defense and torched the Fighting Penguins for three key first-half tries that proved the difference.