Ann Arbor, MI- The University of Michigan has named their 2016 CRC squad for the upcoming event at Talen Energy Stadium on June 4th and 5th in Philadelphia, PA. Head Coach Brandon sparks did not have an easy job as he had to dwindle his roster down to 12 from a very tough pool of 22.
“The boys trained hard and did everything that we asked of them” said Sparks “ You couldn’t ask for a better group of men to push each other to be the best that they can be.” The Wolverines wanted to make sure they became faster than the previous year and the squad reflects that with their athleticism.
If you are interested in attending the CRC you can buy your tickets here.
The 2016 Michigan Wolverines CRC Squad
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Zack Burns, Junior Forward Captain Zack will be making his first appearance at the CRC and captaining his side in a tough pool E. He has appeared for Michigan 4 times this spring and has 2 tries for a total of 10 points on the year. |
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Nate Fisher, Sophomore Forward/Back Nate will be making his first appearance at the CRC working with both the forward and back unit. He is a tenacious defender but also knows how to work around the ball in attack. He has appeared in 4 tournaments for Michigan and has dotted down once. |
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Chening Duker, Senior Forward Chening will be making his second trip to the CRC with Michigan this year and is looking to build on a strong performance. He is known for his power and pace which has allowed him to cross the tryline 10 times in his 4 appearances for Michigan this Spring for a total of 50 points |
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Andre Cargill, Junior Back The 3 time veteran of the event is excited to get back on the grass in Talen Energy Stadium. Andre is a hard runner and conductor of attacking ball. His aggressive style of play always makes him a player to watch. He has appeared 4 times this Spring for the maize and blue and has produced a whopping 107 points coming from 9 tries and 31 conversions. |
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John Spooney, 5th year Back John is a crossover athlete making the switch from track and football to the great game of rugby. While people will marvel at his pace it is his defense that will draw the most praise. John has appeared 2 times this Spring and has netted a total of 25 points coming from 5 tries. |
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David Caputo, Sophomore Back David is a product of the national championship game bound Mystic River club out of Malden, MA. His extensive knowledge of rugby and his commitment to the fundamental skills makes him a solid player for the Wolverines and a player his teammates like working off of in attack. He has made only 2 appearances for Michigan and scoring 1 try. |
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Zack Burns, Senior Back Yes, Michigan has two players with the same name but that is where the similarities end. Zack is a creative and dynamic ball carrier who does his best work in the second layer of defense. His ball skills are something that will draw ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. He has appeared 3 times for Michigan with a total of 2 tries. |
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Colin Walters, Sophomore Back Colin will be making his first trip to Philly for the CRC this June. The big powerful wing brings much needed size to the squad and his speed makes him a unique challenge for defenders. He has appeared 3 times for Michigan this Spring with a total of 4 tries. |
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Matt Kasten, Junior Back Matt will be making his 3rd trip to the CRC this year. The fast, shifty wing has been a solid contributor to the Wolverine’s attack effort all year and is a more dynamic player than just the speedster label he is often given. In 4 appearances he has flashed across the whitewash for 17 tries and kicked 5 conversions for a total of 95 points. |
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Cooper Smart, Senior Back This will be Cooper’s first trip to the CRC after narrowly missing it last year after his season ended early with an injury. He is a speedster who has worked hard to develop his fundamental skills to become a creator and finisher for the Wolverines. In 4 appearances he has dotted down 4 times for a total of 20 points. |
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Nick Mattes, Junior Forward Nick is making his first appearance in the CRC this year. He is a big rangy forward that has deceptive speed for his size. In 4 appearances for Michigan he has 5 tries for a total of 25 points. |
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Ron Marine, Sophomore Back/Forward This is will be Ron’s first trip to Philly for the CRC and the sophomore is very excited. He has developed as a workhorse for Michigan taking pride in doing the dirty jobs so his teammates shine. In four appearances he has dotted down 2 times for 10 points. |
