# 2023 Division 1-A Rugby Championship

The 2023 Division 1-A Rugby Championship is the eleventh season of the Division 1-A Rugby championship, the annual university rugby union competition run by USA Rugby involving the top twelve college teams in the United States. Navy won their first Championship with a 28–22 win over California, capping a perfect 18–0 season.

## Teams

Twelve clubs from the six major conferences compete in the 2023 National Championship playoffs.
The distribution of teams is:
* PAC Rugby Conference: two teams
* California: two teams
* Rocky Mountain: one team
* Independent: one team
* Rugby East: two teams
* Mid-South Conference: three teams
* Red River Conference: one team
The following teams qualified for the tournament.
| PAC Rugby Conference | California | Rocky Mountain | Independent | Rugby East | Mid-South Conference | Red River Conference |
| Arizona California | Cal Poly Saint Mary's | BYU | Central Washington | Army Navy | Davenport Life Lindenwood | Texas A&M |

## Standings

Independent :
| Team | Record | PD |
| Central Washington | 8–1 | +174 |
Mid-South :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Lindenwood | 5–1 | +181 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Life | 4–2 | +61 | 3 | 19 |
| 3 | Davenport | 3–3 | –41 | 0 | 12 |
| 4 | Arkansas State | 0–6 | –101 | 1 | 1 |
Pac Rugby Conference :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | California | 3–0 | +169 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | Arizona | 2–1 | +76 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | UCLA | 1–2 | –5 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Utah | 0–3 | –240 | 0 | 0 |
Rugby East (North) :
| Pos. | Team | Record | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Navy | 5–0 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Army | 4–1 | 5 | 20 |
| 3 | St. Bonaventure | 3–2 | 2 | 14 |
| 4 | Notre Dame College | 2–3 | 2 | 10 |
| 5 | Kutztown | 1–4 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Penn State | 0–5 | 1 | 1 |
Big Ten :
| Pos. | Team | Record |
| 1 | Indiana (W) | 5 — 0 |
| 2 | Ohio State (E) | 4 — 1 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 4 — 1 |
| 4 | Illinois | 3 — 2 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | 3 — 2 |
| 6 | Michigan State | 2 — 3 |
| 7 | Michigan | 1 — 4 |
| 8 | Purdue | 0 — 5 |
Red River :
| Pos. | Team | Record | Pts | Pts Diff |
| 1 | Texas A&M | 6–0 | 30 | +493 |
| 2 | Texas | 4–2 | 20 | +30 |
| 3 | Baylor | 3–2 | 15 | -22 |
| 4 | North Texas | 2–3 | 10 | -172 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 1–4 | 7 | -79 |
| 6 | Texas Tech | 0–5 | 1 | -250 |

## Bracket

| Round 1 (April 8) | Round 1 (April 8) | Round 1 (April 8) | Elite Eight (April 15) | Elite Eight (April 15) | Elite Eight (April 15) | Final Four (April 22) | Final Four (April 22) | Final Four (April 22) | National Championship Game (May 6) | National Championship Game (May 6) | National Championship Game (May 6) |
| | | | 1 | Central Washington | 31 | | | | | | |
| 4 | BYU | 71 | 4 | BYU | 62 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Arizona | 33 | WEST | WEST | WEST | 4 | BYU | 31 | | | |
| | | | WEST | WEST | WEST | 3 | California | 55 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 28 | | | | | | |
| 3 | California | 82 | 3 | California | 29 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Cal Poly | 15 | | | | | | | 3 | California | 22 |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Navy | 28 |
| | | | 1 | Navy | 30 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Army | 36 | 4 | Army | 6 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Davenport | 34 | EAST | EAST | EAST | 1 | Navy | 12 | | | |
| | | | EAST | EAST | EAST | 2 | Lindenwood | 10 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Lindenwood | 29 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Life | 82 | 3 | Life | 8 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Texas A&M | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
Sources:

### Round 1

* 8 April 2023
| BYU | 71–33 | Arizona |
| Try: Manhuinga, Austin, Olivera (3), Matthews (2), Klintworth, Sagala, Barker, Fountaine Con: Matthews (8) | Report | Try: 19' m, 42' c, 60' c, 66' c, 80' c Con: Hickey (4/5) |
* South Field, Provo, Utah
* 8 April 2023
| California | 82–15 | Cal Poly |
| Try: Clark (2) 2' m, 38 m Aguero 17' Dixon (2) 21' c, 68' m Santos (2) 24' c, 52' m Kirsten (2) 27' c, 79' m Threlkeld 46' c Walsh 49' m Williams 65' c, Weigold 72' m L. Freeman 76' c Con: Schumacher (4) 21', 24', 27', 46' Salter (1) 65' L Brundage (1) 76' Pen: 10' | Report | Try: 55' c 77' m Con: Crowley (1/2) 55' Pen: 10' |
* Witter Rugby Field, Berkeley, California
* 8 April 2023
| Army | 36–34 | Davenport |
| Try: Delai 4' c Bardak 16' m Oglesbee 23' c Pattinson 33' c Liskey 77' c Con: Haley (4/5) 4', 23', 33', 77' Pen: Haley (1) 83' | Report | Try: Howard 11' m Van der Westhuizen (2) 28' m Casey 40' m Kurti 44' m Pen: Nolan (3) 55', 65', 81' |
* Anderson Rugby Complex, West Point
* 8 April 2023
| Life | 82–0 | Texas A&M |
| Try: Carrion, Safodien, Chadwick (2), Crane, Cain, Kramlich, Pantor, Reed, Hoffman, Michnya Con: Crane (11/12) | Report | |
* Lupo Family Field, Marietta, Georgia

### Quarter-finals

* 15 April 2023
| Central Washington | 31–62 | BYU |
| Try: Treacy (2) 30' m, 34' c O'Shannessey 38' c McQuade 58' m Grande 66' c Con: Cline (3/5) 34', 38' | Report | Try: B. Tenney, Parry, Fountaine, Matthews, Biagi, Beck, Vaitohi, Sagala, Clark, Toso Con: Matthews (6) |
* Tomlinson Stadium, Ellensburg, Washington
* 15 April 2023
| Saint Mary's | 28–29 | California |
| Try: Waqavesi 15' c Pongi 25' c Marchant 34' c Toia'ivoa 78' c Con: Yacubian (3/3) Sorti (1/1) | Report | Try: Clark 29' m Schumacher 38' c Santos 48' c O'Connell 59' Con: Schumacher (3/4) 38, 48', 59' Pen: Schumacher (1) 74' |
* Saint Mary's Stadium, Moraga, California
* 15 April 2023
| Navy | 30–6 | Army |
| Try: MacLaney 7' m Bengston 25' m Opp 44' c Haugh 54' c Con: Krieger (2/4) 44', 54' Pen: Gray 41' Krieger 61' | Report | Pen: Haley (2) 25', 32' |
* Prusmack Rugby Complex, Annapolis, Maryland
* 16 April 2023
| Lindenwood | 29–8 | Life |
| Try: Hardrict II 3' m Bynard (2) 15' c, 30' c Al-Jiboori c Pen: Peignon (1) 69' | Report | Try: Bizer 23' m Pen: King (1) |
* Harlen C. Hunter Stadium, St. Charles, Missouri

### Semi-finals

* 22 April 2023
| California | 55–31 | BYU |
| Try: Aguero 2' c Santos (2) 5' m, 78' c O'Connell 30' c Clark 46' m Williams 49' c Zylstra 53' c Penalty Try 73' Con: Schumacher (5/7) 3', 31', 50', 54', 79' Pen: Schumacher (1) 64' | Report | Try: Tenney (2) 14' c, 33' c Vaitohi (2) 24 m, 69' c Toso 79' m Con: Hammer (3/5) 15', 34', 70' |
* Witter Rugby Field, Berkeley, California
* 22 April 2023
| Navy | 12–10 | Lindenwood |
| Try: Gray 13' c Bullock 40+2' m Con: Kireger (1/2) 14' | Report | Try: Kige 61' c Con: Peignon (1/1) 62' Pen: Peignon (1/2) 3' |
* Prusmack Rugby Complex, Annapolis, Maryland

### Final

* 6 May 2023
| California | 22–28 | Navy |
| Try: O'Connell 9' c Shea 13' m Kirsten 52' c Con: Schumacher (2/3) 10', 53' Pen: Schumacher (1) 23' | Report | Try: Webb 29' c MacLaney 38' c Bullock 62' c Opp 68' c Con: Krieger (4/4) 30', 39', 63', 68' |
* SaberCats Stadium, Houston

## Rudy Scholz Award
### Winner

* Lewis Gray, US Naval Academy

### Finalists

* Wyatt Parry, BYU
* Max Schumacher, Cal
* Joe Marchant, Saint Mary's
* Lewis Gray, US Naval Academy
* Orrin Bizer, Life University
Sources:

## 2022–2023 First Team All Americans

* Gabe Mahuinga – Brigham Young University
* Runako Brynard – Lindenwood University
* Joe Marchant – Saint Mary’s College
* Ben Haugh – Navy
* Lucas Pattinson – Army
* Kaipono Kaioshi – Saint Mary’s College
* Alex Cleary – Central Washington University
* Orrin Bizer – Life University
* Tiaan Mosconi – Army
* Max Schumacher – University of California – Berkeley
* Nick Hardrict II – Lindenwood University
* EJ Freeman – University of Arizona
* Lewis Gray – Navy
* Daelen Denenberg, Santa Clara University
* Roanin Krieger – Navy
* Emilio Shea – University of California – Berkeley
* Adam Chadwick – Life University
* Connor Devos – Lindenwood University
* Jack McMahon – Navy
* Dominic Besag – Saint Mary’s College
* Cole Semu – Brigham Young University
* Calvin Liulamaga – Central Washington University
* Donovan Law, Life University
Sources: