Photo courtesy of Iowa Central Athletics: Takudzwa Musingwini of Iowa Central takes flight during the CRC National 7s rugby tournament in the Washington D.C. area last weekend.

BOYDS, Md. — The Iowa Central rugby team went to this year’s Collegiate Rugby Championship National 7s Tournament determined to win it all.

Though the second-seeded Tritons ultimately came up short in their quest to capture the Premier Cup title and reign supreme as the country’s best collegiate squad, head coach Brent Nelson kept a proper perspective on just how far the program has come just to have a seat at the big table.

Again competing as the only junior college program in the entire 32-team field, Iowa Central experienced a rollercoaster of results and emotions as it finished sixth overall. Top-seeded Wheeling (W.V.) University repeated as champion.

“This team was super talented and highly successful all spring,” said Nelson, a graduate of both Humboldt High School and ICCC. “We won three CRC qualifier tournaments and the Hawkeye Classic non-qualifier tournament. We were poised and ready to win it all.

“Sevens is a fickle game, though. There is next to no room for error, and the bounce of a ball or one missed tackle can be the difference between playing for a national championship and (being in the) 5th/6th match.”

The Tritons crushed Nazareth in their opener, 34-5, and ousted Adrian, 31-17. St. Bonaventure – the eventual national runner-up – escaped with a 12-7 quarterfinal victory that sent Iowa Central to the backside.

Nelson’s group bounced back with a thrilling 15-10 sudden victory over Dartmouth, but Brown prevailed in the fifth-place match by a final of 33-10.

Iowa Central was fourth here a year ago.

“We pushed the guys hard this spring and got them in shape to make a deep run,” said Nelson, who started the rugby program at ICCC in 2015. “The coaches felt like there was buy-in and we liked our chances. Coach (Joe) Lippert and his wife, Grace, had a baby so he was on leave for much of the spring, but when he came back, it was all systems go.

“Being in the CRCs back-to-back years was truly a blessing, though. We’re thankful for the support the college gives us, and we wanted to bring home a 7s national championship. It just wasn’t in the cards for us (in 2025).”

Triton star Takudzwa Musingwini continued to add to his decorated resume with six tries for the weekend, which landed him on the all-tournament squad.

“With his conversion kicks, he was one of the top scorers of the Premier division,” Nelson said of Musingwini, who is still undecided on his next step as a player. “Of the 32 teams and almost 500 players in the Premier division, Taku was one of seven named to the all-tournament team. He really had a remarkable year (overall), but was a superstar (particularly) in 7s.

“There were a lot of eyes on him, which only increased because of the team’s success. He is a humble young man, and would give most of the credit to his teammates. I felt like a lot of guys stepped up and had significant roles in our success.”

The Tritons’ staff again used the trip to the Nation’s Capital to create a bigger picture for their student-athletes that extended far beyond the pitch.

“Washington, D.C. is so full of history, and we wanted the guys to experience some of it by taking them to the memorials again,” Nelson said. “It was an amazing time for all of us to be together.”

Next year’s Triton squad will have a different look, and not just because of the players graduating or moving on. Lippert – Nelson’s right-hand man for the last four seasons – is moving to Colorado for the summer, then Wisconsin.

“Joe has been paramount to the success of the program,” Nelson said, “but he’s been even more impactful to the development of the young men who come through here. He has a genius level rugby IQ, and his Xs and Os are top notch.

“Coach Lippert always believed in the valuation of Iowa Central, and the impact we could make on a diverse group of young men. Personally, I will miss him as a colleague and friend. The void will be difficult to fill. But even he would tell you, it’s next man up. The program must carry on. I wish him, his wife, Grace, and their daughter the very best.”