The USA Rugby Board of Directors has approved a proposal from the College Management Council for a new sevens national championship for men and women that will debut in December 2011.

The USA Rugby Collegiate Rugby Sevens National Championship will be will be held from December 16-17, 2011 at a site that is not yet determined. The championships will consist of 24 men's and 16 women's teams.

More than 125 men's college teams will be competing in the qualifying events leading up to the championship. These tournaments will be a mixture of USA Rugby Division I conference championships and regional events that include Division I and College Premier Division programs.

The winners of the qualifying tournaments will earn an automatic berth in the championship tournament. The remainder of the field will be selected on an at-large basis by a to-be-seated Sevens Championship Selection Committee. Criteria for selection will include performance in the qualifying event.

For 2011, the women's event will be a 16-team open invitational tournament. Women's teams will be invited to submit an application to participate in the event, and the Women's Competition Committee will select the final 16 from the pool of applicants.

Men's Collegiate Rugby Sevens National Championship
Qualification Events

August 28: Big 10 7s; Madison, Wis.
Sept. 3-4: Midwest 7s; Bowling Green, Ohio
Sept. 17-18: Atlantic Coast 7s; Greensboro, N.C.
Sept. 24: SCRC 7s; Knoxville, TN.
Sept. 24: SIRC 7s; Tallahassee, Fla.
Oct. 15: Oklahoma 7s; Norman, Okla.
Oct. 16: Northwest Collegiate Rugby 7s Championships; Seattle, Wash.
Oct. 22: Pacific 7s; Palo Alto, Calif.
Oct. 22: Mountain 7s; Glendale, Colo.
Oct. 29: Delaware 7s; Newark, Del.
Oct. 29: California 7s; TBD
Nov. 5: East Coast Rugby Conference 7s; Amesbury, Mass.
Nov. 5-6: Ivy Rugby Conference 7s; Site TBA