During the weekend of April 13th and 14th, the University of Michigan Men’s rugby team competed at the Big 10 7s tournament at Notre Dame University. Coming off a series of disappointing finishes in their previous tournaments, head coach Christian Mentzer stressed that this was the tournament to “go big or go home.” With 4 guaranteed pool games, the club faced the likes of Penn State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame on their way to the club’s first Big 10 championship game in its history. The club ended their pool play with a must-win victory over Ohio State, which knocked the Buckeyes out of playoff contention and secured the team a spot against Notre Dame in the semi-finals.
In their first match of the tournament, the first side faced off against reigning champions Penn State University. Despite a strong defensive effort by the team, coupled with a try by Joe Ounsley, the team lost the 28-12.
Although the tournament was distributed over the course of two days, the Wolverines ended up treating each game like it was their last, following the words of Mentzer that their backs were against the wall. In their next game against Wisconsin, Michigan spread out the tries, with scores by Shea Loughnane, Ounsley, Armen Vartanian, and Connor McNabs leading to a dominating 26-10 victory. In their final game of the day against Iowa, Tommy Hamman joined the fray, scoring his first try of the tournament in another dominating 33-5 victory. With the sun setting, the team set off for their hotel for much needed rest ahead of their matchup with Ohio State.
The next day, the Wolverines faced off against rivals Ohio State, who they had beat in 7s last year for the first time in over a decade. Tensions already high from the fierce rivalry were inflamed more by the stakes; the winner would clinch a spot in the semifinal matchup. Although the Wolverines went into the half down 14-5, buoyed by a lone try by Vartanian in the game’s opening minutes, a inspirational speech by Mentzer sparked a fire in the players’ hearts. With a defense that pitched the second half shutout, Ounsley and Loughnane competed to be the team’s leading try-scorer. A final try by Max Nelson brought the Wolverines to 31 points on the game, scoring 26 in less than 7 minutes to advance to the semifinals for the first time in club history.
In the semifinals, the Wolverines faced off against Notre Dame, who they had beaten only a few weeks prior. Despite an opening try by the Irish, Ounsley showcased again why he’s the team’s leading scorer, putting two back-to-back tries on the board. Scores by Hamman and Matt Daines, who broke off for a 50 meter run, brought Michigan a historic 24-12 victory on Notre Dame’s own field.
Shedding their blue jerseys for maize, the first side prepared to face off against Penn State in the club’s first ever Big 10 7s championship. Despite a few hours of rest and time to learn from their first matchup, the Penn State defense and offense were overwhelming, shutting out the Wolverines 40-0. Despite their disappointing finish, Michigan still made history, going further than any other team before them. Because Penn State doesn’t compete in the Collegiate Rugby Championship, the Wolverines earned a historic place in the tournament on merit alone, qualifying for their spot rather than being invited. With time to rest, Michigan believes they can make a deep run in the CRC, which will be held the weekend of April 26th.
