The 1980 National Collegiate Rugby Championship was the first edition of an official national championship for intercollegiate rugby organized by the U.S. Rugby Football Union. The tournament was sponsored by Michelob and hosted by Palmer College of Chiropractic at Credit Island in Davenport, Iowa.[1] The Cal Bears were victorious in large part to Mick Luckhurst who was tournament MVP.
Illinois
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the college division of the Mid-America Cup at the Midwest Rugby Championship at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH.[2]
First round Illinois 17-0 Dayton
Second round Illinois 16-10 Palmer
Semifinal Illinois 8-3 Ohio State
Final Illinois 7-6 Minnesota
Roster:
President- Jeff Ruckman
Coach- Merle Faminow
Captain- Kevin McSweeney
Record 22-4-1(10-1-1)
Bruce Anderson (Center), Rob Beer (Prop), Craig Bergen (Prop), Dean Bostrom (#8), Bruce Gillingham (#8), Pete Hancock (Scrumhalf), Joe Janikas (Wing), Mark Kahn (Prop), Steve Lardner (Scrumhalf), Drew Kuhter (Lock), Pete McHugh (Wing), Kevin McSweeney (Flyhalf), Brian Mullery (Fullback), Mickey O'Neil (Hooker), Jim Quinn (Scrumhalf), Jeff Ruckman (Flanker), J.W. Sears (Hooker), Rick Smith (Center), Tony Sparrow (Flanker), Keith Surroz (Lock), Joe Vanderbranden (Center), Jeff Young (Wing).
Navy
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Eastern Collegiate Cup on April 5–6 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.[3]
Navy 6-4 Virginia Tech
Navy 15-6 Army
Roster:
Coach- Dewey Mateer
Record (10-1-1)
Matt Aylward (Prop), Tom Brodmerkel (Lock), Jim Brownlowe (Center), John Burke (Prop), Jerry Chandler (Scrumhalf), Deryl Chen (Wing), Mike Coughlin (Wing), Dan Dewispelaere (Flyhalf), Jeff Freeman (Wing), Chuck French (Scrumhalf), James Hickey (#8), Rick Keller (Hooker), Jim King (Center), Steve Laukaitis (#8), Bob Matheny (Fullback), Herb McMillan (Flanker), Jim Merrill (Center), Kent Mills (Flanker), Dennis Murphy (Center), Keith Shultis (Prop), Brad Smith (Lock), John Theiss (Lock).
Air Force Falcons
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the West Regional on 2–4 May in Lawrence, KS.[4]
Air Force def. Principia of St. Louis
Air Force def.University of Northern Colorado
Roster:
Coach- Alan Osur
Captains- Kevin Nagie/Steve Miller
Record- 11-1
Brad Brown (Flyhalf), Jeff Burroughs (Lock), Bob Cushing (Scrumhalf), Jeff Dodson (Prop), Paul Frappier (Center), Tom Jee (Flanker), Tom Jones (Center), Jeff Lamont (Lock), Brian McNabb (Wing), Steve Miller (Fullback), Joe Motz (Scrumhalf), Kevin Nagie (Flanker), Fred Origel (Prop), Mark Ploederer (#8), Jason Prokopowicz (Prop), Jeff Richard (Flanker), Tom Robbins (Center), Mark Roling (Lock), Jerry Sirote (Hooker), Art Smith (Wing), Paul Smith (#8), Bruce Stark (Center).
California
Qualified from Far West Regional on March 22–23 at Pebble Beach, CA.
California 18-4 University of Oklahoma
California 12-7 Old Mission Beach RC
California 6-0 San Francisco RC
California 9-7 Santa Monica RC
Roster:
Coach- Ned Anderson
Record 15-5-1
Buzz Brown (Prop), Darrell Breedlove (#8), Jim Castignani (Wing), Kevin Dakis (Wing), Mark Deaton (#8), Scott Denardo (Prop), Frank Helm (Hooker), Donald Hooper (Flyhalf), Tom Horvath (Lock), Mike Lemmon (Back), Tom Lemmon (Center), Mick Luckhurst (Fullback), Jeff McDermott (Flanker), Ken Meyersieck, (Scrumhalf), Tim O'Brien (Center), Doug Raisch (Prop), Bob Spurzem (Prop), Matthew Taylor (Wing), Brian Vincent (Flanker), Bob Williams (Scrumhalf).
Bracket
Regional Semifinal
Regional Final
National Semifinal
National Final
March 22 - Pebble Beach, CA
California
6
March 23 - Pebble Beach, CA
San Francisco
0
California
9
March 22 - Pebble Beach, CA
Santa Monica
7
Santa Monica
6
May 17 – Davenport, IA
Seahawks
0
California (Pacific)
15
April 6 - Blacksburg, VA
Navy (East)
0
Navy
6
April 6 - Blacksburg, VA
Virginia Tech
4
Navy
15
April 6 - Blacksburg, VA
Army
6
Army
3
May 18 – Davenport, IA
Princeton
0
California
15
May 3 - Lawrence, KS
Air Force
9
Air Force
13
May 4 - Lawrence, KS
Principia
9
Air Force
11
May 3 - Lawrence, KS
Northern Colorado
10
Northern Colorado
3
May 17 – Davenport, IA
Kansas
0
Air Force (West)
15
April 27 - Dayton, OH
Illinois (Midwest)
4
Third place
Illinois
8
April 27 - Dayton, OH
May 18 – Davenport, IA
Ohio State
3
Illinois
7
Illinois
10
April 27 - Dayton, OH
Minnesota
6
Navy
0
Minnesota
8
Xavier
3
Semifinals
The semifinals scheduled for 1:00 and 3:00PM respectively were delayed an hour and a half due to storms flooding the pitch requiring another field to be set up by the organizers.
17 May 1980 2:30 PM
California
15–0
Navy
Try: Tim O'Brien 25' c Mark Deaton 70' c Con: Mick Luckhurst (2/2) Pen: Mick Luckhurst 10'
Try: Bruce Stark 39' c Con: Tom Jones Pen: Joe Motz 15'
Credit Island Attendance: 200 Referee: Peter Jones (Midsouth RU)
All Tournament Team
Matthew Aylward (Navy) – Prop
Mark Deaton (California) – #8
Jeff Freeman (Navy) – Wing
Mick Luckhurst (California) – Fullback
Herb McMillan (Navy) – Flanker
Brian McNabb (Air Force) – Wing
Joe Motz (Air Force) – Scrumhalf
Brian Mullery (Illinois) – Flyhalf
Tim O'Brian (California) – Outside Center
Doug Raisch (California) – Prop
Jeff Ruckman (Illinois) – Flanker
James Sears (Illinois) – Hooker
Bradley Smith (Navy) – Lock
Bruce Sorensen (California) – Lock
Bruce Stark (Air Force) – Inside Center