Navy Midshipmen rugby

Navy Midshipmen Rugby

Full name	Navy Midshipmen Rugby
Union	USA Rugby
Nickname	Midshipmen
Founded	1963; 63 years ago (1963)
Location	Annapolis, Maryland
Ground	Prusmack Rugby Complex
Coach	Gavin Hickie
League	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.

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

• 1994: Runner-up
• 2023: National Champion
• 2024: Runner-up

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

Ed.	Season	Champion	Runner-Up	Third / Semi-finalists	Fourth	Location	Match Report
1	1980	California	Air Force	Illinois	Navy	Davenport, Iowa	[8]
4	1983	California	Air Force	Navy	Illinois	Athens, Ga.	[9]
15	1994	California	Navy	Air Force	Penn State	Dufour Stadium, Catholic University, D.C.	[10][11]
17	1996	California	Penn State	Stanford	Navy	Colorado Springs, CO	[12]
19	1998	California	Stanford	Navy	IUP	Balboa Park, San Francisco, CA	[13]
20	1999	California	Penn State	Navy	Army	Balboa Park, San Francisco, CA	[14]
22	2001	California	Penn State	Navy	Army	Virginia Beach, VA	[15]
25	2004	California	Cal Poly-SLO	Air Force / Navy		Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA	[16]
26	2005	California	Utah	BYU / Navy		Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA	[17]
28	2007	California	BYU	Navy / Penn State		Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA	[18]
42	2023	Navy	California	BYU / Lindenwood		Houston, Tex.	[19]
43	2024	St. Mary's	Navy	BYU / Life		Houston, Tex.	[20]

Collegiate Rugby Championship (Sevens)

Year	Location	Position	Record
2010	Columbus, OH	QF	1–2–1
2011	Philadelphia, PA	Challenger SF	1–4
2012	Philadelphia, PA	QF	2–2
2013	Philadelphia, PA	SF	3–2
2014	Philadelphia, PA	QF	2–2
2015	Philadelphia, PA	QF	3–1
2016	Philadelphia, PA	Bowl QF	0–4
2017	Philadelphia, PA	Bowl SF	1–4
2018	Philadelphia, PA	QF	3–1
2019	Philadelphia, PA	SF	4–1
2023	Boyds, Maryland	Premier Challenge QF	0–3

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.

External links

• Navy rugby