Lakers, Panthers, Wolfpack Qualify

Three teams punched their tickets to the Collegiate Rugby Championship by winning automatic qualifiers over the weekend. Grand Valley State won Men’s DII at the St. Patrick’s 7s in Rolla, MO, Drury won Women’s DIII in Rolla, and in Men’s DI Club, North Carolina State won the Terrapins 7s in College Park, MD. 

In Rolla, the Lakers went 4-0, defeating Missouri and host Missouri S&T in pool play before winning a pair of tight contests in the knockouts. GVSU won a defensive armwrestle against Northern Iowa in the semifinals, 7-0, before edging Colorado Mesa by a conversion in the final, 14-12. GVSU is the second team to qualify in Men’s DII, following Montana State.  

Drury was also a perfect 4-0 in Rolla, defeating McKendree, Iowa’s second side twice, and Arkansas in the final, 20-10. The Panthers are making their second-straight trip to nationals, and they’re the first Women’s DIII team to qualify this spring.

In Maryland, the defending champion Wolfpack defeated Rutgers and James Madison in pool play, shutout UMass in the quarterfinals, beat the host Terps in the semifinals, and doubled West Chester’s score in the championship, 24-12. N.C. State is the third team to qualify in Men’s DI Club, preceded by Ketnucky and Sam Houston State. 

See what teams have qualified so far on National7s.com.

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