# 1983 National Collegiate Rugby Championship

The 1983 National Collegiate Rugby Championship was the fourth edition of the official national championship for intercollegiate rugby organized by the U.S. Rugby Football Union. The tournament was hosted by the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The Cal Bears won their fourth straight title.

## Participants

Illinois Qualified for the National Championship by advancing from the Mid-America Cup at Bowling Green, Ohio on May 1.
* Illinois 14-0 Cincinnati
* Illinois 7-10 Palmer(awarded to Illinois due to ineligible players on Palmer)
Roster: Coach- Graham Hesketh Alan Burton (Fullback), Dan Cummiskey (Wing), Brent Doden (Center), Tom Erf (Flanker), Bruce Gillingham (Flanker), Graham Hesketh (Flyhalf), Randy Hopkins (Lock), Jeff Javior (Wing), Ed Kohout (#8), Marty Lyons (Wing), Mike McEnerney (Flanker), Kevin McSweeney (Scrumhalf), Rick Mihevc (Flyhalf), Pat Odom (Wing), Ed Pacer (Flanker), Dave Podber (Flanker), Tom Quinn (Lock), J.W. Sears (Hooker), Tony Sparrow (Flanker), Matt Struve (Prop), Lenny Unes (Hooker), Doc Watson (Prop).
Navy Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Eastern Collegiate Championship April 30–May 1 in Philadelphia, PA.
* Navy W–L UMass Amherst
* Navy 22–12 James Madison
Roster:
Coach- Kehoe Pat Buckley (Scrumhalf), Mike Coughlin (Wing), Todd Davis (Flanker), Eric Dunn (Lock), Will Hall (#8), Rob Haskins (Fullback), Brian Hodges (Lock), Gardner Howe (Flyhalf), Randy King (Flyhalf), Malcolm LeMay (Flanker), Chuck Lynch (Prop), Mike McGivney (Flanker), Brian Murphy (Lock), Bill Murray (Wing), Bob Papadakis (Hooker), Joe Rixey (Center), John Scanlan (Hooker), Kevin Smith (Scrumhalf), Will Smith (Wing), Jim Stewart (Center), Doug Suriano (Prop).
Air Force Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Western Regional on April 23–24 at College Station, TX.
* Air Force 6-0 Southeast Missouri State
* Air Force 9-4 Nebraska
* Air Force 13-9 Oklahoma
Roster:
Coach- Rob Horne Captains- Joe Barkate/Luis Arauz Record- 9-1 Luis Arauz (Flanker), Joe Barkate (Flyhalf), Pete Bartos (Wing), Dave Burns (#8), Paul Carrubba (Lock), Chris Cordes (Scrumhalf), Bob Desantis (Prop), Dick Fish (Flanker), Joel Heck (Scrumhalf), Jeff Ingalls (Hooker), Bob Jolly (#8), Mark Knofczynski (Prop), Jim Koehn (Fullback), Bob MacDonald (Lock), Keith McCoy (Prop), Tom W. Miller (Center), Mike Murray (Wing), John Savidge (Center), Mike Trundy (Flyhalf), William Volker (Hooker), Joe Wendlberger (Flanker), Bob Williamson (Wing).
California Qualified from Pacific Coast Collegiate Regional at Provo, Utah on April 9–10.
* California 20-0 Oregon State
* California 44-6 BYU
Roster:
Coach- Ned Anderson Captain- John Blackburn Record 17-6(7-0) Bill Bicker (Center), John Blackburn (Flanker), Mark Carlson (Flanker), Marc Covert (Wing), Jim Di Matteo (Scrumhalf), Steve Ellis (Center), Kevin Fox (Prop), Rich Hextrum (#8), Brian Hillesland (Lock), Don James (Prop), Ed Kerwin (Center), Mark Lamborne (Hooker), Greg Loberg (Lock), David Loomis (Fullback), Doug McKenzie (Hooker), John Metheny (Flyhalf), Hugh Preston (Flyhalf), John Riddering (Lock), George Roeth (Wing), Mike Sidley (Prop), Bob Tanaka (Scrumhalf) Greg Van Inwegen (Flanker), Brian Walgenbach (Prop), Ron Zenker (Lock), Mark Zouvas (Prop).

## Bracket

| Regional Semifinal | Regional Semifinal | Regional Final | Regional Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | | |
| California | 17 | | | | | | |
| California | 17 | April 10 - Provo, UT | April 10 - Provo, UT | | | | | |
| Long Beach | 9 | April 10 - Provo, UT | April 10 - Provo, UT | | | | |
| Long Beach | 9 | California | 44 | | | | |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | California | 44 | | | | |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | BYU | 6 | | | | |
| BYU | 16 | BYU | 6 | | | | |
| BYU | 16 | | | | May 8 – Athens, GA | May 8 – Athens, GA | | |
| Santa Barbara | 12 | | | | May 8 – Athens, GA | May 8 – Athens, GA | |
| Santa Barbara | 12 | | | | California (Pacific) | 20 | |
| May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | | California (Pacific) | 20 | |
| May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | Illinois (Midwest) | 0 | |
| Palmer | 26 | | | | Illinois (Midwest) | 0 | |
| Palmer | 26 | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | | |
| Michigan | 3 | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | | | | |
| Michigan | 3 | Palmer | 33 | | | | |
| May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | | Palmer | 33 | | | | |
| May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | May 1 - Bowling Green, OH | Chicago | 6 | | | | |
| Chicago | 3 | Chicago | 6 | | | | |
| Chicago | 3 | | | | | | | May 9 – Athens, GA | May 9 – Athens, GA |
| Ohio State | 0 | | | | | | | May 9 – Athens, GA | May 9 – Athens, GA |
| Ohio State | 0 | | | | | | | California | 13 |
| April 24 - College Station, TX | April 24 - College Station, TX | | | | | | | | California | 13 |
| April 24 - College Station, TX | April 24 - College Station, TX | | | | | | | Air Force | 3 |
| Air Force | 9 | | | | | | | Air Force | 3 |
| Air Force | 9 | April 24 - College Station, TX | April 24 - College Station, TX | | | | | | |
| Nebraska | 4 | April 24 - College Station, TX | April 24 - College Station, TX | | | | | | |
| Nebraska | 4 | Air Force | 13 | | | | | | |
| April 24 - College Station, TX | April 24 - College Station, TX | | Air Force | 13 | | | | | | |
| April 24 - College Station, TX | April 24 - College Station, TX | Oklahoma | 9 | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma | 12 | Oklahoma | 9 | | | | | | |
| Oklahoma | 12 | | | | May 8 – Athens, GA | May 8 – Athens, GA | | | | |
| Kansas State | 0 | | | | May 8 – Athens, GA | May 8 – Athens, GA | | | |
| Kansas State | 0 | | | | Air Force (West) | 6 | | | |
| April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | | | | | Air Force (West) | 6 | | | |
| April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | | | | Navy (East) | 3 | | Third place | Third place |
| Navy | | | | | Navy (East) | 3 | | Third place | Third place |
| Navy | | May 1 – Philadelphia, PA | May 1 – Philadelphia, PA | | | | | May 9 – Athens, GA | May 9 – Athens, GA |
| UMass Amherst | | May 1 – Philadelphia, PA | May 1 – Philadelphia, PA | | | | | May 9 – Athens, GA | May 9 – Athens, GA |
| UMass Amherst | | Navy | 22 | | | | | Navy | 32 |
| April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | | Navy | 22 | | | | | Navy | 32 |
| April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | April 30 - Philadelphia, PA | James Madison | 12 | | | | | Illinois | 3 |
| James Madison | | James Madison | 12 | | | | | Illinois | 3 |
| Florida State | | | | | | | | | |

## Semifinals

* 8 May 1983
| Air Force | 6–3 | Navy |
| Pen: Bob Williamson 60', 79' | | Drop: Joe Rixey 56' |
* Athens, GA Referee: Tim Gallagher (Indiana)
* 8 May 1983
| California | 20–0 | Illinois |
| Try: Mark Zouvas 54' Mark Covert 63' John Blackburn 70' c Bill Bicker 74' c Con: Hugh Preston (2/4) | | |
* Athens, GA Referee: Jim Russell

## Third place

* 9 May 1983
| Navy | 32–3 | Illinois |
| Try: Murray 38' c Stewart 41' Bill Murray 50' c Todd Davis 55' c Howe 63' c Bill Murray 71' Con: Bob Haskins (4/5) | | Pen: Hesketh 18' |
* Athens, GA Referee: Tim Gallagher (Indiana)

## Final

* 9 May 1983 2:00 PM
| California | 13–3 | Air Force |
| Try: Dave Lumus 63' c Mark Lambourne 70' Con: Hugh Preston (1/2) Pen: Hugh Preston | | Pen: Bob Williamson |
* Athens, GA