Photos: Bobby Gable
Davenport is one of eight teams competing in the DI Elite bracket of the USA Rugby College 7s National Championship. The Michigan program is unique in that it’s the only one that isn’t a DI Elite 15s program or member of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (i.e., varsity league). But that’s not to say Davenport is out of place. The team is the reigning DI fall 15s champion – a title won in the program’s first DI season – and a former national 7s champion.
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Davenport won the 2016 DII 7s national title – the last time separate DI and DII competitions were held within USA Rugby’s National Championship Series. In 2017, the fields merged into an “open,” and Davenport went 2-3 to finish 9th overall. This spring, the team played and beat DI Big 10 teams like Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio State, as well as Notre Dame College and Kent State in the Midwest.
“Playing against Michigan and Ohio State was an opportunity for us to experiment with different lineups, and they were opportunities for us to develop our team chemistry,” Davenport captain Hannah Tennant reviewed the team’s Midwest opponents. “Notre Dame, Notre Dame College and Kent State were a better source of competition for us that really allowed us to develop our attacking structure as a team.
“I personally wish that we would have been able to travel to more tournaments,” the captain referenced the Big 10 and Life University tournaments. “It would have been a better opportunity to play at the elite level that we are expected to play at this weekend.”
Fortunately for Davenport, the team fields great experience. Captain Tennant, Danielle Ordway and Hunter Moreland are all fifth-year seniors, and have played alongside each other for half a decade. The team can build off of their connectivity, and considering this weekend will be the final outing for the trio as Panthers, watch for their leading performances.
“Having back Olivia Ortiz and Madison Sparks is also a great addition,” Tennant reviewed the ranks. “Olivia has grown so much as an overall player in the last year and is such a force to be reckoned with during set pieces.”
Freshmen Megan Bird and Mariah Pruitt and transfer student Alanna Girardin also drew high praise from the captain.
“Bird is a quick and strong prop, and Alanna is a dynamic offensive hooker that have really helped advance our attack,” Tennant explained. “Mariah has been a great impact sub and as a freshman she is able to come off the bench and fit in and work well with the rest of the girls. She is a hard worker who has really picked up the game of 7s well.
The team’s final tune-up occurred last weekend at Penn State 7s, and the competition from teams like the Nittany Lions and Navy readied Davenport’s expectations for nationals.
“Penn State has a high-pressure defensive line, which is something we hadn’t experienced yet in the previous tournaments we’ve played. They are organized and really know how to stretch the field, which tested our defense,” Tennant explained. “I was so proud of the effort and the outcome we had as a team. Playing in this tournament allowed us to be tested offensively and defensively but also showed us what we need to fine-tune this next week before nationals. I think the outing gave the team a good sense of the level of competition that we will be experiencing and I’m excited to see what we can do in Denver.”
Davenport will face Army, Life and Harvard during Saturday’s pool games, and then the knockouts unfold on Sunday. The entire tournament will be live-streamed via FloRugby.
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