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The 1989 National Collegiate Rugby Championship was the tenth edition of the official national championship for intercollegiate rugby. The tournament, sponsored by Steinlager, took place May 6-7 at the Air Force Academy soccer fields in Colorado Springs, CO. The Air Force Zoomies won their first title with a victory over the Long Beach 49ers. John Oliver of Army was named best forward while Tim Bohman of Air Force was best back.

Participants

Army Black Nights
Qualified for the National Championship by advancing from the Eastern College Championship on April 15–16 at Annapolis, MD.

• Army 33-0 University of Buffalo
• Army 43-18 Navy

Roster:
Coach- Michael Mahan, Wallace, O'Gorman, Vaughn
Captain- John Oliver
Record-
Ron Albrecht (Prop), Dave Blain (Scrumhalf), Roscoe Blood (Prop), Brian Burlingame (Hooker), John DeBlasio (Scrumhalf), Sean DeMartino (Flanker), Kevin Dice (Flyhalf), Pete Dunn (Hooker), Kimo Gallahue (#8), Mike Halpin (Center), Mike Kilbane (Fullback), Cliff Lairson (Center), Bill Marshall (Center), Dennis McKernan (#8), Chris Morris (Flanker), Lew Nance (Center), John Oliver (Flanker), Lincoln Oro (Wing), Steven Phillips (Lock), Spence Robinson (Lock), Jim Saccone (Flyhalf), Rick Shipe (Fullback), Scott Sutherland (Prop), Vincent Torza (Center), John Wilson (Wing).

Penn State Nittany Lions
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Midwest Universities Cup on April 22–23 in Madison, WI.

• Penn State 18-0 Michigan State
• Penn State 3-0 Bowling Green
• Penn State 13-12 Wisconsin

Roster:
Coach- Bruce Hale, Sanvido, Smith, Cranston, Bennese, Grigor, Ryland
Captain- Stephen Rae
Record-
Peter Anthan (Lock), Kevin Barry (Lock), Rich Cassidy (Fullback), Erick Chizmar (Center), Scott Davis (Wing), Greg Driscoll (Wing), Brian Ewing (Scrumhalf), James Gilhool (Lock), Howard Goldfine (Hooker), Antony Hardon (Lock), Brent Hutchings (Center), Stephen Hynes (Center), Peter Karmilowicz (Wing), Daniel Kelly (Flanker), George Nace (Hooker), Matthew Norton (Center), Lance Polcyn (Prop), Stephen Rae (Scrumhalf), Vincent Rocco (#8), Peter Skeels (Prop), Ian Wallace (Flyhalf), John Walton (Flanker), Jay Wieder (#8), Darren Woolf (Prop), John Zajac (Flanker).

Air Force Zoomies
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Western Collegiate Championship on April 15–16 in Lawrence, KS.

• Air Force 19-0 Rice
• Air Force 16-3 Kansas
• Air Force 22-9 Colorado

Roster:
Coach- Vern Francis, Walt Daniels, Pat Gerdemann, Dave Easler, Jim Jasina
Captains- Brent VanderPol/Jon Finley
Record-
Harry Blue (Prop), Tim Bohman (Center), Ronald Buckley (Flyhalf), Dan Drummond (Lock), Eric Fester (Wing), Jonathan Finley (Scrumhalf), Jeffrey Hill (#8), William Jacobus (Wing), Timothy Jozwiak (Flanker), Michael Junk (Hooker), Eric Kelm (Hooker), Travis Klopfenstein (Flyhalf), Jon Krause (Lock), David Mets (Fullback), Douglas Nikolai (Center), Kevin Oleen (Prop), James Owen (Lock), Bradley Rogers (Fullback), Glenn Rogers Jr. (Wing), Ted Schiller (Scrumhalf), James Snyder (Prop), Mark Thomas (Scrumhalf), Brent VanderPol (#8), Don Wood (Center), Arthur Wunder (Flanker).

Long Beach 49ers
Qualified from Pacific Coast College Championships on April 7–9 in Tucson, AZ.

• Long Beach 28-7 Washington
• Long Beach 12-0 Cal Poly SLO
• Long Beach 18-10 California

Roster:
Coach- Dr. Dale Toohey, Kaplan, Stackhouse, Anderson, Morgan
Captain-Brett Bowden
Record-
Steve Agor (Wing), Timothy Aitken (Flyhalf), Brett Bowden (Flyhalf), Jim Brown (Wing), Gabriel Cobos Jr. (Fullback), Jerry Fanning (Hooker), Jimmy Guadagno (Scrumhalf), Dario Guerra (Prop), Ray Harper (#8), Mark Kitchen (Center), Andrew Klinkenberg (Lock), Charlie McKerras (Lock), Steve Meert (Scrumhalf), Derrick Munck (#8), Andrew Nicholls (Lock), Jack Purdy (Prop), Kevin Robinson (Center), Eric Skaar (Flanker), Chris Stratton (Wing), Dean Toohey (Flanker), Jon Westerman (Hooker).

Bracket

Semifinals

Third place

Final

Champions: Air Force Academy Zoomies
Coaches: Vern Francis, Walt Daniels, Pat Gerdemann, Dave Easler, Jim Jasina.
Roster: Jim Snyder (Prop), Kevin Oleen (Prop), Harry Blue (Prop), Mike Junk (Hooker), Eric Kelm (Hooker), Dan Drummond (Lock), Jay Owen (Lock), John Krause (Lock), Tim Jozwiak (Wing Forward), Ted Schiller (Wing Forward), Art Wunder (Wing Forward), Jeff Hill (#8), Brent VanderPol (#8), Jon Finley (Scrum Half), Mark Thomas (Scrum Half), Tim Bohman (Center), Bill Jacobus (Center), Donnie Wood (Center), Eric Fester (Wing), Doug Nikolai (Wing), Skip Rodgers (Wing), Dave Mets (Full Back), Brad Rodgers (Full Back).

References

1. "AFA's Title Hopes Earn Top Billing". (May 6, 1989). Gazette Telegraph, p.C2 col.5
2. Lieberman, Randall P. (May 26, 1989). "Air Force Wins Nat'l Collegiate Crown". Rugby. Vol. 15, no. 4. p. 12.
3. "Army Rugby Advances". (April 16, 1989). The Journal News, p.24
4. "UW Rugby Club Misses Nationals". (April 24, 1989). Capital Times, p.18
5. Bartle, Jim (May 26, 1989). "Air Force: Western Collegiate Champion". Rugby. Vol. 15, no. 4. p. 18.
6. "Cal Rugby Loses In PCC Finals". (April 10, 1989). The Daily Californian, p.12 col.1–5
7. "49ers, Falcons In NCAA Rugby Final". (May 7, 1989). Farmington Daily Times, p.A14 col.3-5
8. "LB St. Rugby Team Reaches National Final". (May 7, 1989). Orange County Register, p.C16 col.3
9. "Rugby". (May 7, 1989). Gazette Telegraph, p.C14 col.7
10. "Air Force Tries Again, Edges Army". (May 7, 1989). Gazette Telegraph, p.C15 col.1-4
11. Lieberman, Randall P. (May 26, 1989). "Air Force Wins Nat'l Collegiate Crown". Rugby. Vol. 15, no. 4. p. 13.
12. Page, Steve (May 8, 1989). "AFA Whips Long Beach, Zooms To Title". Gazette Telegraph, p.C1 col.1-3
13. "Air Force Beats Long Beach State". (May 8, 1989). Denver Post, p.2E col.2

• Collegiate Rugby Championship
• May 1989 sports events in the United States
• 1989 in American rugby union
• Sports competitions in Colorado Springs, Colorado