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.Examiner.com, Gamecocks 4th largest rugby club in US, Oct. 12, 2009
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. In the 2010–11 season Navy reached the national quarterfinals and finished the season ranked 9th in the country.Rugby Mag, Final CPD Rankings for 2010-2011, May 24, 2011, Navy finished the 2012–13 season first in the Atlantic Coast Rugby League, and ranked 11th in the country.Rugby Mag, All Divisions College Top 25, May 22, 2013, 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.College Premier Division
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.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
Performance National championships
Division 1-A Rugby - Division I 1994: Runner-up 2023: National Champion 2024: Runner-up 2026: 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.SeasonChampionRunner-UpThird / Semi-finalistsFourthLocationMatch Report 1980 California Air Force IllinoisNavyDavenport, Iowa "Cal, Blues Take Rugby Titles Again". (May 11, 1981). The Independent & Gazette, p.15 col.5 1983 California Air Force NavyIllinoisAthens, Ga. "Golden Bears Win Fourth Straight Rugby Title". (May 9, 1983). The Daily Californian, p.1 col.1-2 1994 California Navy Air Force Penn State Dufour Stadium, Catholic University, D.C. 1996 California Penn State Stanford Navy Colorado Springs, CO 1998 California Stanford Navy IUP Balboa Park, San Francisco, CA 1999 California Penn State Navy Army Balboa Park, San Francisco, CA 2001 California Penn State Navy Army Virginia Beach, VA 2004 California Cal Poly-SLO Air Force / Navy Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA 2005 California Utah BYU / Navy Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA 2007 California BYU Navy / Penn State Steuber Rugby Stadium, Stanford, CA 2023 Navy California BYU / Lindenwood Houston, TX 2024 St. Mary's Navy BYU / Life Houston, TX 2026 California Navy St. Mary's / Life Indianapolis, Ind.
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
External links Navy rugby