A New Standard
On a hot, sticky day just outside Atlanta, Head Coach Charlie Purdon led USD Rugby to the club's first national championship, and the university's first national title since 1975, overcoming a talented Harvard side 28-14. Since then, the Toreros have won two more national titles, beating Clemson 15-7 to seal their 2nd 7s title and beating Iowa State 41-17 for the club's first ever 15s National Title. This season, they have returned to play with a hunger for more, dedicating themselves to surpassing last season's success by defending their 7s & 15s national titles. The club is well on it's way to achieving that goal and more with a schedule full of top D1-AA and D1-A talent such as Cal Poly & UoA. Excellence, it seems, is the new club standard as returning All-American Paul Habeeb steers a stable of seasoned veterans bolstered by a group of lethal new recruits such as Dominic Martinez toward their dream of defending their national titles. The Toreros have already received an invite to the Collegiate Rugby Championships in Washington D.C. given their success at last years NCR 7s tournament, where the Toreros finished champions bolstering an astounding point differential of +99. The Toreros are currently fighting for their right to protect their 15s National Championship and you can stay up to date on our title chase via Instagram @USD_Rugby.
What your donation will fund?
Your generous donation will go towards airfare for playoffs as well as player hotel & meal costs.
Why are donations necessary?
The major hurdle the club now faces is funding for flights to and from Washington, D.C., the host city for the 7s national tournaments, and Houston, Texas, the host of the 15s national championship. As a club sport, USD Rugby operates on a shoestring budget and needs your financial support to have the reserve necessary to fund these trips. Thankfully, Washington, D.C., has a major airport with many direct, low-cost flights from San Diego. Our young men have earned the right to compete against the best schools in the country and reach the pinnacle of collegiate rugby once again. Lastly, if you wish to double your impact, please check with your employer to see if they offer a gift-matching program. This is a great way to make your donation go further and help ensure we can compete for another national championship.
Thank you!
We could not play the game we love without your help and we are grateful for the continued support from you; our friends, family and fans. Please consider donating as we need your help to go to nationals! If a donation is not feasible at the moment, please share our campaign details with anyone and everyone you think would be interested in supporting American collegiate rugby! Again, thank you and we hope to see you at the pitch!