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Rio's Thibault Carrere tries to avoid a pair of Fordham defenders during Friday night's action in the Collegiate Rugby Championship National 7s in Boyds, Md.
Rio's Thibault Carrere tries to avoid a pair of Fordham defenders during Friday night's action in the Collegiate Rugby Championship National 7s in Boyds, Md.
Posted: Apr 26, 2026

RedStorm finishes 22nd in national tourney

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Rio Grande Sports Information
     BOYDS, Md. - The University of Rio Grande recorded a pair of wins in five outings and finished 22nd in the 32-team Men's Premier Division of the Collegiate Rugby Championship National 7s.
     The tournament wrapped up three days of action on Sunday at the Maryland Soccerplex.
     The RedStorm, who earned their spot in the event by finishing as the runner-up in the Big Rivers Rugby Conference tournament, dropped a 19-12 decision to Kutztown in their opening contest.
     Kutztown extended its 14-0 halftime lead to 19-0 before Rio scored the final 12 points of the match.
     Senior Zolen Walker (Madison, WI) had the RedStorm's first score and junior Thibault Carrere (Dax, Landes, France) added the conversion, while a try by sophomore Luke Turner (Eastbourne, England) set the final score.
     Rio rebounded in the Bowl bracket Round of 16 with a 26-0 win over the Air Force Academy.
     The RedStorm, who jumped to a 19-0 lead at the intermission, were the beneficiaries of two tries by Turner and two other scores by junior Sunny Staffieri (Lostwithel, England).
     A trio of conversions by Carrere set the final score.
     Head coach Brad Sandig's club then dropped a 26-5 decision to Fordham in the quarterfinals of the Bowl bracket. The Rams jumped to a 19-0 halftime advantage before Walker got the RedStorm on the scoreboard with a second half try.
     Rio Grande's second victory was a 12-7 triumph over Fairfield in the Bowl consolation bracket.
     The Stags led 7-0 at halftime before the RedStorm forged a tie thanks to a try by senior Will Spencer (Hemel Hempstead, England) and a conversion by Carrere.
     Junior Brock Kamakahi's (Hilo, Hawaii) try at the 12:20 mark of the second half provided the winning points.
     In the 21st place match, Rio led Aquinas (Mich.) College 7-5 at the intermission thanks to a try by Webster and a conversion by graduate senior Mikey Grice (England), but the Saints scored 33 unanswered points in the second half to win going away.
     The RedStorm finished the Spring 7s portion of their season at 9-15.