Thunder Chickens 10th in the Nation in Division II Rugby 7s
Out of the 12 teams that made it to this year’s Division II Men’s USA Rugby College 7s National Championships in Denver, Colorado, Principia’s Thunder Chickens placed 10th.
Though seeded first going into the tournament, the Thunder Chickens faced considerable competition among the other 11 teams. Principia finished strong in pool play on Saturday, winning the last game, against Norwich, 33–21 after two losses (Hartford 5-31 and Southern Connecticut State University 14-24) earlier in the day. On Sunday, the Thunder Chickens began consolation bracket play with a 33-0 win over St. Louis University but fell to Norwich 10-31 in the next game, leading to the 10th-place finish.
An enthusiastic crowd of over 100 fans traveled from coast to coast to support the team. Many were clad in gold and blue and wore Thunder Chicken hats throughout the weekend. Principia’s Alumni & Field Relations team provided a tailgate lunch and snacks between matches, and fans enjoyed chatting and getting to know one another when they weren’t cheering for the team.
“It is a tremendous privilege to coach such fine men as they strive to achieve excellence,” says coach Ward Patterson (C’82). “This year’s tournament was filled with fine rugby teams, and we are really proud to be 10th in Division II in 7s and 20th in 15s.”