WILDCATS SET TO CHASE DUAL SEVENS TITLES
Kyle Fulton and the Wildcats will serve as hosts for the first of two crucial Sevens events. (Photo credit: Alex Ho)
May 20- Arizona is set for the final two events of the season in a shift back to Sevens. After a strong Fifteens season that saw them finish in the nation's top eight, the Wildcats will now aim to build on last year's third place national finish in Sevens.
First up for the Wildcats is a bit of history in their first ever hosting duty for the USA Rugby College Sevens Championships. As the predecessor of the Collegiate Rugby Championship, the USAR Sevens features teams from around the country that have won conference championships throughout the 2018-2019 academic year with the men competing Friday-Saturday. This year's event is also the largest in its history, with 64 teams slated to attend. The traditional 16-team format in the D1A bracket features Arizona as the #2 overall seed headlining pool B alongside Big Ten champion Ohio State, Red River Champion Arkansas, and Northeastern University from the Liberty Conference. The soon to be named 15-man roster will take on all three sides Saturday at Kino Sports Complex, home of FC Tucson and a burgeoning alternate venue for the Wildcats. If the Wildcats are to advance from their talented pool, they are expected to see strong challenges from the likes of CRC Champion Lindenwood, Central Washington, and local foe Grand Canyon University, amongst others. All matches will be broadcast live on FloRugby across both days.
Following the USAR Sevens, the 15-man roster will trim down to 13 for the most high profile tournament in College Rugby, the Penn Mutual Collegiate Rugby Championship June 1-2. The Wildcats find themselves as one of the tournament's strongest candidates but some challenging pool matches await against Fordham, Saint Joseph's, and Saint Mary's at Talen Energy Stadium. The ESPN family of networks is set to provide coverage with the Wildcats hoping to break past the Cup Semifinals after reaching that final four three of the past four seasons.
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