There was no home-pitch advantage for the Stanford women's rugby team on Saturday as the Penn State Lady Ruggers defended their national championship by defeating the Cardinal 24-7. Not only was this Penn State's 2nd straight national championship, it was also their 3rd title win in the past four years with Stanford being the break in the streak with a 2008 championship.
Penn State's defense was aggressive from the beginning, limiting the Cardinal to only one try during the entire match. Stanford coach Johnathan Griffin had this to say:
"They're unbeatable now for the next 12-15 years. They are the Cal of women's rugby."
Cal won the men's title on Saturday, capturing the title for the 18th time in the past 20 years.
With another national championship in hand, the Lady Ruggers can now come home and rest and throw their support behind the men's volleyball team, which has a chance to also play Stanford in the final on the NCAA Men's Volleyball Tournament this Saturday.
Penn State athletics is currently sitting in third place in the April 30th standings of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Director's Cup. The Director's Cup is an annual award given to the college or university with the best overall athletic program.
The final rankings are released on July 1. Read on after the jump to find out how Penn State could fare between now and then.
Last night was the annual Mifflin Streak, where students (traditionally seniors, but really anyone with a good self image) streak down Mifflin Road. There have been controversies in years past regarding police involvement, injuries, etc., but this year was relatively tame in that regard, with no known arrests or incidents.
Regardless, it was an eventful streak, featuring men and women alike, slow walkers, skateboarders, crazy masks, and even a dog walker. Check out some censored pictures after the jump. It should go without saying that these pictures, despite being censored, are not safe for work.
Penn State will sadly not be receiving free bikes for use next year. University Park Undergraduate Association President Ragland has opted to veto the Bike Share legislation. In a press release, it was stated that
[President Ragland] was concerned with the lack of time left in the semester to fully support the initiative. He would like to see comparative research be performed, in order for the best possible decision to be made.
The full quote and more details after the jump.
Penn State claimed their twelfth straight Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) championship last night with a sweep of Princeton (30-28, 30-27, 30-13). With this win, the Nittany Lions now earn an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, which is being held in Stanford, California.
A recap of the victory after the jump.
The men's volleyball team are in the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) finals after beating Springfield College 3-0 on Thursday night. After a season of ups and downs, the team will be competing for its twelfth straight EIVA title tonight at 7 p.m.
Standing in their way is Princeton, the number two seed in this year's tournament. Princeton defeated the three seeded George Mason in the first semifinal on Thursday, 3-1.
The winner of this matchup will go on to the NCAA men's volleyball tournament, which consists of three conference champions and one at-large bid. Neither Penn State nor Princeton will earn the at-large bid, which adds even greater importance to the final tonight.
Penn State hopes to extend their season tonight, so go and support the team in their final, and most important, home game of the season in Rec Hall at 7 p.m.