Thunder Chickens Fifth in the Nation in Division II Rugby 7s

Out of the 16 teams that made it to the Division II Men’s USA Rugby College 7s National Championship held in Cary, North Carolina, Principia’s Thunder Chickens placed fifth. In all, they played six games over the course of the Memorial Day weekend tournament, winning four of them.

In their first game on Friday evening, the Thunder Chickens defeated Tulane University 33–10. On Saturday, Principia defeated Niagara University 24–0, followed by a loss to the University of Minnesota-Duluth, 5–29. Principia then fell to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 17–27 in the quarterfinal match that afternoon. On Sunday, Principia played and won two more matches—against Salisbury University (14–5) and the University of Texas-San Antonio (24–12)—to capture fifth place.

An enthusiastic crowd of over 70 fans traveled from coast to coast to support the team. Many were clad in gold and blue and wore Thunder Chicken hats throughout the weekend. With help from Principia’s Alumni & Field Relations team, which provided a tailgate lunch and snacks between matches, fans enjoyed chatting and getting to know one another when they weren’t cheering for the Thunder Chickens.

“The team demonstrated true sportsmanship, spiritual dedication, character, and teamwork throughout the tournament,” says coach Ward Patterson (C’82). “They faced teams from very large universities, along with rain and staggering heat. I’m so proud of how they represented Principia on and off the field. It was truly an honor to watch them achieve this excellent result.”