Event Recap
by Matt Lively
Two new USQRA Wheelchair Rugby National Champions have been crowned.
40 games and three days later, the University of Arizona Wildcats won their first ever D1 Wheel Chair Rugby National Championship. The Grand Rapids Thunder won their first ever D2 championship.
UofA defeated the Ability360 Heat in the D1 championship game by a final score of 55-44. The Wildcats’ star Daisuke Ikezaki was named the D1 tournament Most Valuable Player.
The Thunder defeated the Northridge Knights 58-52. Matt Milstead of the Thunder was the D2 MVP.
The 2017 champs Ability360 Heat finished second with the Texas Stampede placing third in the division 1. In division 2, the Northridge Knights placed second and the MedStar Punishers placed in third.
This is the second year that Ability360 has hosted the USQRA Wheel Chair Rugby Nationals. VMI Vans was gracious enough to host the successful event that featured a full house all three days.
Ability360 would like to thank the incredible volunteers from VMI Vans and Bank of America. If you’d like more coverage from the weekend, check out Sports ‘N Spokes Magazine and the Ability360 Sports and Fitness Center Facebook page.
Score Board – – Saturday, April 21
Division I
Shepherd – vs – Tampa
7th / 8th Game56- 51
Denver – vs – Portland
5th / 6th Game 55 – 42
Texas – vs – Minnesota
3rd / 4th Game55- 51
U of A – vs – 360Heat
Championship Game55- 44
Division II
Chicago – vs – Cali Storm
7th / 8th Game47- 36
Magee Eagles – vs – NorCal
5th / 6th Game33- 50
MedStar – vs – AbilityKC
3rd / 4th Game46- 39
Northridge – vs – Grand Rapids
Championship Game52- 58
Score Board – – Friday, April 20
Division I
Shepherd – vs – Portland
45 – 53
U of A – vs – 360Heat
56 – 54
Minnesota – vs – Texas
41 – 46
Denver – vs – Tampa
46 – 37
Portland – vs – Tampa
3rd Pool A – vs – 4th Pool B 57 – 41
Texas – vs – 360Heat
1st Pool B – vs – 2nd Pool A 41 – 49
Shepherd – vs – Denver
4th Pool A – vs – 3rd Pool B 44 – 52
U of A – vs – Minnesota
1st Pool A – vs – 2nd Pool B 50 – 43
Division II
Grand Rapids – vs – NorCal
16 – 5
Magee Eagles – vs – AbilityKC
42 – 44
Northridge – vs – MedStar
58 – 42
Chicago – vs – Cali Storm
50 – 44
Grand Rapids – vs – MedStar
1st Pool B – vs – 2nd Pool A 48 – 36
Chicago – vs – NorCal
3rd Pool A – vs – 4th Pool B 45 – 52
Cali Storm – vs – Magee Eagles
4th Pool A – vs – 3rd Pool B 48 – 54
Northridge – vs – AbilityKC
1st Pool A – vs – 2nd Pool B 55 – 43
Score Board – – Thursday, April 19
Division I
360Heat – vs – Shepherd
54 – 36
UofA – vs – Portland
64 – 36
Minnesota – vs – Tampa
50 – 39
Texas – vs – Denver
49 – 45
360Heat – vs – Portland
53 – 32
UofA – vs – Shepherd
61 – 45
Minnesota – vs – Denver
50 – 45
Texas – vs – Tampa
53 – 35
Division II
Grand Rapids – vs – AbilityKC
56 – 31
NorCal – vs – Magee Eagles
42 – 48
Northridge – vs – Cali Storm
1 – 0
Medstar – vs – Chicago
53 – 46
NorCal – vs – AbilityKC
54 – 47
Grand Rapids – vs – Magee Eagles
58 – 35
Medstar – vs – Cali Storm
48 – 42
Northridge – vs – Chicago
64 – 26