After an exhilarating weekend in Glendale, Colorado, Life University’s Rugby Team won the 2008 USA Rugby Men’s Division 1 National Championship. In the championship game on Sunday, June 1, Life defeated the Glendale Raptors, 15-14. Life’s Doctorate of Chiropractic student and elite rugby player, Brandon Richardson, received the Most Valuable Player award for the conference.
“The feeling is completely indescribable,” said Life Rugby President Chris Vassel. “We gave everything we had to do our best, and it made the endless practices and all the hard work throughout the season worth our efforts.”
Life entered the Sweet Sixteen nationally ranked number four when they defeated the Los Angeles Rugby Club, 44-19. In the Round of Eight, Life beat the favored, Las Vegas Blackjacks, 40-5. In the Final Four, Life dominated the Olympic Club from San Francisco, 30-20. This was the first time in six years that Life’s Rugby Team made it to the Final Four tournament.
Since its founding in 1980, Life’s rugby club has become one of the United States’ premier teams. The team boasts five of the 100 elite players in the country, including Richardson, Garrett Lambert, Nathan Rogers, Mark Aylor, and Brenden Thompson.
The Life University Rugby Team is constantly giving-back through their involvement within the community. The team regularly provides elite rugby camps to Atlanta-area high schools, and the collegiate players use the opportunity to mentor the young players. The rugby team also takes time to get involved with charity work, including feeding the homeless.
“Our team is part of the Division 1 Men’s League, and yet we’re the top team as a university competing against these, essentially, semi-professional players,” said Life University Athletic Director John Barrett. “We are the only university to compete in the finals.”
In 1987 and 1994, Life Rugby won the USA East Championships. The team competed in the Superleague division in 2000, winning the national championship, and in 2002, they re-joined the USA Rugby Division 1 Men’s League and has competed at the Tournament of 16 ever year since. For more information about Life University’s Rugby Team, visit www.liferugby.com
