Tri-State Rugby Conference Champions 2016

This past Sunday, November 6th, 2016 the Tri-State Rugby Conference held it’s Fall Championships at Siena College in Loudonville, New York.

The Albany area school has a wonderful new rugby field thanks to alumni donations and adjacent to the field is an artificial turf surface that was also used. Hosts Siena College did a wonderful job and everything ran smoothly. Thanks are due in particular to the Siena College Rugby players, Student Activities Director Karen Keis, and the coaches Dmitri Zagorevski and Rich Scully.

In addition, the Conference was well served by the NY Rugby Referees Society headed up by John Percy Neidzielski as well as the Rugby Referees Society of NY. Games were covered professionally with a referee and ARs running touch, so thank you to these two societies for their officiating.

Tri-State Rugby Conference Champions 2016

Sacred Heart University Men 32 v 12 William Paterson University Men

Last Fall Sacred Heart University was pipped at the post by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute but this year they went one better and defeated a much improved William Paterson University team.

Sacred Heart University Men advance to represent the Tri-State Conference in the USA Rugby National Championship Round of 16 in the South Region and will face the Southern Conference Champion at Furman University in Greenville, SC on Saturday November 19th, 2016. The round of 8 i.e. quarterfinal round is played the following day.

Men’s Central Division Championship
National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) Champions Cup qualifier

Women’s Division II Championship
USA Rugby National Women’s Fall Championship

Vassar College Women 46 v 10 University at Albany Women

The Vassar College Women took on the Albany Women in a very physical match-up. Despite a lead of 31-0 at the half Albany battled throughout and a 15-10 second half was credit to their spirit and determination. Both teams advance to the USA Rugby Round of 32 with Vassar hosting SUNY-Geneseo on Saturday November 12th, 2016 at 1:00 pm and Alabny traveling to take on NESCAC winner Colby College the same day in Maine.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Women 29 v 17 Siena College Women

The RPI Engineers advance to the USA Rugby Round of 32 as the third placed Tri-State Conference team earning an At-Large bid. They will take on Buffalo State University in Buffalo on Saturday November 12, 2016.

Congratulations to all the teams as they move forward and represent the Conference in the National Championships at the regional level.

Please remember to conduct yourselves with modesty in victory and dignity in defeat. Your standard of play on the field, your image as represented by your uniforms, as well as your actions on and off the field reflect on the Conference. I hope you will truly represent the Conference with class and exercise good sportsmanship at all times.

Good luck at Regionals.

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