# 1987 National Collegiate Rugby Championship

The 1987 National Collegiate Rugby Championship was the eighth edition of the official national championship for intercollegiate rugby. The tournament took place concurrently with the 29th Pebble Beach Rugby Classic at Collins Polo Field in Pebble Beach, California. San Diego State won their first title with a victory over Air Force. Tom Sharpy of Air Force was the MVP.

## Venue

California :
| Collins Polo Field | Collins Polo Field |
| Pebble Beach, California | Collins Polo Field |
| Capacity: | Collins Polo Field |

## Participants

Dartmouth Qualified for the National Championship by advancing from the Eastern College Championship on April 18–19 in Blacksburg, VA.
* Dartmouth 32-0 Georgia Tech
* Dartmouth 6-3 Virginia Tech
Roster: Coach- Keith Oberg, Greg Smith, Wayne Young Captain- Jon Bigelow, Phillip McCune
Record-
Jon Bigelow (Flyhalf), Pat Brophy (Wing), Clay Corbus (Flanker), Al Dekin (Fullback), Al Golub (Center), John Hamlin (Center), John Harris (Prop), Greg Hawes (Flanker), Jay Henry (Wing), John Jakiemiec (Prop), Chris Lena (#8), Nick Leventas (Prop), Brett MacDonald (Wing), Charles Markwalde (Flanker), Phil McCone (Lock), Dave McConnell (Lock), Michael Silberling (Wing), David Silke (Lock), Larry Socher (Hooker), Bob Sproull (Scrumhalf), Vic Trautwein (Flanker), Eric Wiksten (Flanker).
Bowling Green
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Midwest Universities Cup on April 18–19 in Dayton, OH.
* Bowling Green w/o Wisconsin-Platville
* Bowling Green 34-0 Ball State
* Bowling Green 34-3 Illinois State
* Bowling Green 26-25 Kentucky
Roster: President- Dave Cramer Coach- Roger Mazzerella, Sue Wilson Captain- Mark Laimbeer Record- 52-7-1(17-4) Scott Ault (Center), Dallas Black (Flanker), Dan Burkholder (#8), Rob Clark (Wing), Dave Cramer (Prop), Ed Cvelbar (Prop), Chad Gaizutis (Center), Todd Haitz (Flanker), Tony Konczak (Center), Mark Laimbeer (Scrumhalf), Bret Level (Prop), John Lonsert (Fullback), Mark Manning (Lock), Steve Markert (Flyhalf), Dan Martello (Prop), Brian McCue (Lock), John Pugh (Hooker), Chris Round (Center), Gus Saponari (Center), Tom Schloemer (Flanker), Ed Smietana (Wing), Mike Sylvester (Flyhalf), Trent Tate (Lock), Carl Vella (Flanker), Andy Wasiniak (Lock), Jeff Weemhoff (Wing), Mike Yashnyk (Hooker), Nick Zelle (Wing).
Air Force
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Western Collegiate Championship on April 18–19 in Colorado Springs, CO.
* Air Force 25-9 South Dakota
* Air Force 22-12 Oklahoma
* Air Force 19-10 Colorado
Roster: Coach- Vern Francis, Walt Daniels, Barney Ballinger, Larry Coode, Jeff Waldo
Captains- Rick Coveno/Doug Woodbury Record- 18-3-2
Matt Beals (Center), Mark Bissell (Fullback), Chris Burke (Center), Mike Carr (#8), Steve Clapp (Flanker), Rick Coveno (Hooker), John Davis (Lock), Dan Drummond (Lock), John Drummond (Prop), Chris Findall (Lock), John Finley (Scrumhalf), Roger Forsythe (Lock/#8), Steve Hajosy (Flyhalf), Rich Haller (Fullback), Ken Holliday (Prop), Jay Moad (Wing), Chris Nusser (Flanker), Dean Phillips (Prop), Alex Rossano (Hooker), Scott Savoie (Wing), Tom Sharpy (Flanker), Frank Souza (Center), Scott Stark (Wing), Doug Woodbury (Scrumhalf).
San Diego State
Qualified from Pacific Coast College Championships on April 10–11 in Santa Barbara, CA.
* San Diego State def. Arizona
* San Diego State 12-7 Humboldt State
* San Diego State 23-12 California
Roster: Coach- Steve Gray, Loc Vetter
Captain-Dwayne Parker
Record- 28-1 Sean Allen (Hooker), John Bussari (Wing), Fabio Comana (Scrumhalf), Dave Crist (Fullback), Jim Detomasi (Wing/Center), Brett Erickson (Flanker), Matt Eshoo (#8), Kevin Fahlsing (Lock), Dennis Fitzpatrick (Flanker), Steve Forster (Flyhalf), Dennis Gonzales (Lock), Jerry Jerome (Flanker), Steve King (Wing/Fullback), Steve Klugerz (Lock), Chris Lippert (Prop), Alan Litvak (Lock), Dwayne Parker (Hooker), Jim Parker (Scrumhalf), Kevin Perry (Prop), Tom Pierce (Center), Chris Prell (Prop), Bruce Markey (Center), Steve Marshall (Prop), Warren Stanley (Flanker), Stuart Taylor (Lock), Chris Wakefield (Wing).

## Bracket

| Regional Semifinal | Regional Semifinal | Regional Final | Regional Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 19 - Dayton, OH | April 19 - Dayton, OH | | | | | | |
| Bowling Green | 34 | | | | | | |
| Bowling Green | 34 | April 19 - Dayton, OH | April 19 - Dayton, OH | | | | | |
| Illinois State | 3 | April 19 - Dayton, OH | April 19 - Dayton, OH | | | | |
| Illinois State | 3 | Bowling Green | 26 | | | | |
| April 19 - Dayton, OH | April 19 - Dayton, OH | | Bowling Green | 26 | | | | |
| April 19 - Dayton, OH | April 19 - Dayton, OH | Kentucky | 25 | | | | |
| Kentucky | 19 | Kentucky | 25 | | | | |
| Kentucky | 19 | | | | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | | |
| Penn State | 13 | | | | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | |
| Penn State | 13 | | | | Bowling Green (Midwest) | 8 | |
| April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | | | | | Bowling Green (Midwest) | 8 | |
| April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | | | | Air Force (West) | 15 | |
| Air Force | 22 | | | | Air Force (West) | 15 | |
| Air Force | 22 | April 19 - Colorado Springs, CO | April 19 - Colorado Springs, CO | | | | | |
| Oklahoma | 12 | April 19 - Colorado Springs, CO | April 19 - Colorado Springs, CO | | | | |
| Oklahoma | 12 | Air Force | 19 | | | | |
| April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | | Air Force | 19 | | | | |
| April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | April 18 - Colorado Springs, CO | Colorado | 10 | | | | |
| Colorado | 18 | Colorado | 10 | | | | |
| Colorado | 18 | | | | | | | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Kansas State | 9 | | | | | | | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Kansas State | 9 | | | | | | | Air Force | 9 |
| April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | | | Air Force | 9 |
| April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | | San Diego State | 10 |
| Dartmouth | 32 | | | | | | | San Diego State | 10 |
| Dartmouth | 32 | April 19 – Blacksburg, VA | April 19 – Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | |
| Georgia Tech | 0 | April 19 – Blacksburg, VA | April 19 – Blacksburg, VA | | | | | | |
| Georgia Tech | 0 | Dartmouth | 6 | | | | | | |
| April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | | Dartmouth | 6 | | | | | | |
| April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | April 18 – Blacksburg, VA | Virginia Tech | 3 | | | | | | |
| Virginia Tech | | Virginia Tech | 3 | | | | | | |
| Virginia Tech | | | | | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | | | | |
| Maryland | | | | | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 2 – Pebble Beach, CA | | | |
| Maryland | | | | | Dartmouth (East) | 6 | | | |
| April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | Dartmouth (East) | 6 | | | |
| April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | San Diego State (Pacific) | 22 | | Third place | Third place |
| San Diego State | 12 | | | | San Diego State (Pacific) | 22 | | Third place | Third place |
| San Diego State | 12 | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Humboldt State | 7 | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 3 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Humboldt State | 7 | San Diego State | 23 | | | | | Bowling Green | 19 |
| April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | | San Diego State | 23 | | | | | Bowling Green | 19 |
| April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 11 - Santa Barbara, CA | California | 12 | | | | | Dartmouth | 7 |
| California | 50 | California | 12 | | | | | Dartmouth | 7 |
| Long Beach | 3 | | | | | | | | |

## Semifinals

* 2 May 1987 12:10 PM
| Bowling Green | 8–15 | Air Force |
| Try: Rob Clark 15' Jeff Weemhoff | | Try: Jay Moad 76' c Con: Mark Bissell (1/1) Pen: Mark Bissell (3) |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA Referee: Todd (NCRFU)
* 2 May 1987 1:45 PM
| Dartmouth | 6–22 | San Diego State |
| Pen: Jon Bigelow (2) | | Try: Steve Forster Bruce Markey Con: Steve Forster Pen: Steve Forster (4) |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA Referee: Ian Nixon (USARFU)

## Third place

* 3 May 1987
| Bowling Green | 19–7 | Dartmouth |
| Try: Dan Burkholder Carl Vella c Jeff Weemhoff c Con: Mark Laimbeer Jon Konczak Pen: Jon Konczak | | Try: Charles Lena Pen: Jon Bigelow |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA

## Final

* 3 May 1987 12:00 PM
| Air Force | 9–10 | San Diego State |
| Try: Scott Stark 60' c Con: Mark Bissell (1/1) Pen: Mark Bissell | | Try: Steve Forster 55' Pen: 20' Steve Forster 75' Steve Forster |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA Attendance: 5000 Referee: Ian Nixon (USARFU)