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STEUBENVILLE -- The Franciscan University of Steubenville has been selected to host the Allegheny Rugby Union Championships on Saturday.
There will be three games of 15s rugby played on the Upper Rugby Pitch on campus with start times at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m.
No. 6 Franciscan will play in the opening matchup against No. 10 Slippery Rock in the ARU Cohen Cup. This is the Championship game for the Men’s Small College Division. The nationally ranked teams met in the regular season in Steubenville on Oct. 7, as Franciscan won 22-5. Less than two minutes into that match, the Barons were trailing 5-0, but rallied and scored 22 unanswered points to earn their first win against the Rock in 15s rugby since 2021. Slippery Rock comes in as the defending ARU Champions with the loss ti FUS as the lone blemish on their record this season. The winner will earn their way into the National Collegiate Rugby National Tournament, advancing to Saint Louis in the Sweet 16 on Nov. 18.
At noon, the ARU Division II Championship will be played. No. 1 Indiana University of Pennsylvania takes on Miami (OH). The No. 1 team in the nation, IUP, comes in as the favorite in this matchup. They have won the last two National Championships in 7s rugby, and they have also made some long postseason runs in 15s. Miami has not appeared on the Top 20 poll yet this season, but they come into the game with convincing wins over Middle Tennessee State and Kent State over the last couple of weeks.
The last matchup at 2 p.m. will be the ARU Small College Challenge Cup with California (Pa.) against Hillsdale. This will be a return trip to Steubenville for California, as the Barons were able to defeat the Vulcans at the end of September. Hillsdale will make the longer trip in from Michigan for their first game in Steubenville. They have had a couple of impressive wins this season, including one over the University of Michigan.
Admission for adults will be $5 and $2 for students. Franciscan Students are free with proof of Student ID. All fans should be on the opposite side of the benches or in the end zones.