NEW ORLEANS - National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) announced the final 28 teams that will compete for the Men's Small College title at the Collegiate Rugby Championship in New Orleans. The 2022 CRC includes the largest field of Small College schools in the tournament's history.

NCR has expanded the Small College championship field based on the depth and quality of small college teams across the country. The participating schools include the winners of eleven automatic qualifying tournaments, as well as at-large bids.

Franciscan is one of seventeen at large bids to make the trip to New Orleans. The tournament starts on May 28 with round robin play across the seven groups. Sixteen teams will proceed to the quarterfinals on May 29, with the bottom twelve teams playing consolation matches. A full schedule with times of each match is to be released later this month. We do know that Franciscan will play each of the teams in Pool F on Saturday May 28th with the top two teams making it into the quarterfinals on Sunday. The Semi-Finals and Championship matches will be played on May 30 in the Shrine on Airline stadium. 

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) earned an automatic qualifier by winning the qualifying tournament at Longwood University in April. They also won their conference later on in the month of April, as they look to be a tough test for the Barons. 

Bryant is out of the Northeast Rugby Conference, and this will be the first time Franciscan has faced the Rhode Island based school. Hofstra is appearing in their first CRC May 7's Madness after receiving at at-large invite.

Joining Franciscan in New Orleans will also be some opponents that the Barons have played earlier this season. Christendom is in Pool A, Slippery Rock in Pool B, and Susquehanna in Pool C. Grove City, Pitt.-Johnstown, and John Carroll are a few of the other local teams that are making apperances. 

About National Collegiate Rugby

National Collegiate Rugby is the largest collegiate rugby organization with over 600 men's and women's teams. Evolving from the National Small College Rugby Organization, which was founded in 2007, NCR now serves small colleges, Division II and Division I programs. NCR's sole focus is the growth and development of college rugby through a range of competitions, championship pathways, member services and governance. For more information, visit ncrugby.org.

About the Collegiate Rugby Championship (May Madness 7s)

Since its founding in 2010, the Collegiate Rugby Championship has driven massive growth in college rugby 7s programs. The tournament draws over 20,000 fans, major sponsors and national broadcast partners, including its current partner CBS Sports. National Collegiate Rugby Championships, LLC took ownership of the event in 2020, partnering with Rhino Sports and Leisure LLC and Patrice Prusmack, wife of the late CRC founder Jon Prusmack. For more information, visit maymadness7s.com.

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