Deven Owsiany will be honored at the Women's Sports Foundation's 32nd Annual Salute to Athletes.

Dartmouth College’s 24-17 defeat of Brown University was a surprise for many – not the bonus-point victory for Dartmouth, but how close the game was.

AW Scott looks at the Sunday Quarterfinals and gives us his thoughts on Australia and New Zealand.

A quick rundown of where DI clubs are in their drive for a playoff spot:

Four teams got through the quarterfinal weekend and each was a deserving. winner. Wales, France, Australia and New Zealand are the best of the bunch. It’s no coincidence that each, in its own way, embodies the modern game.

We’re between three and six weeks into the DI fall season, and now we know who is good, and who isn’t.

He’s had the chance to be an Eagle before. He’s been invited to camps, but he’s usually opted to stay in school and play for the University of Utah. That’s worked out so far, as he co-starred in the Utes’ run to the inaugural Collegiate Rugby Championship on national television.

Now, though, Don Pati is ready to take his shot, and the allure of a standing on a podium to have a medal draped around his neck has a lot to do with it. The 15s and 7s All American scrumhalf departs Thursday for a pre Pan-Am Games camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., where he’ll try to earn a seat on the plane to Guadalajara.

“That’s what I’m trying to do, to see if I can make the team for the Pan-Am,” said Pati, “and if I do, I’m going to do it.”

If Pati makes the team, he’ll miss three or four weeks of school and a chance to help the Utes qualify for the inaugural USA Rugby college 7s national championship via Pacific 7s (Pac-12) in Palo Alto, Calif.

“I’m kind of putting the Pan Am games first, and if I do make it that’ll be great,” he said.

“It’s similar to the Olympics, and I think that’s the reason why I’m interested in making the squad for this assembly. I have a couple of classes that I’m kind of hanging in the loop on basically, and I have some exams going on, but I’m trying to work my way around it.”

Pati, like several recent or soon-to-be college grads, has his eyes on the 2016 Olympic Games, where, rumor has it, rugby is making its return. He sees playing in the Pan-Ams as a step towards the rings.

“For me, 7s I’ve never really looked into it really deep, and I never thought to myself I could have played 7s, but just knowing that it’s going into the Olympics, and one day you’re going to be an Olympian if you make it, that’s a great thing to aim for and set a goal to make. It definitely changes the way people like myself think of it.”

Pati played a little competitive 7s in the summer with the Utah Warriors, but his club season was cut short by a nagging knee injury – he is now one meniscus lighter.

Last time he played 7s, and in front of USA coach Al Caravelli, was as an All American in the 7s national all star championship. He wasn’t fit then, but knows he’ll have to be if he’s going to make it to Guadalajara.

Pati says he’s been working hard on conditioning and doing so on a knee that’s no longer bothering him.

If he shows up to camp in shape and truly healthy, Pati has as good chance as any to make his Eagle debut in Guadalajara.

News about the USA Rugby’s inaugural college 7s national championship continues to unfold, as details about the tournament are unveiling themselves either as rumors or concrete fact.

(This article originally incorrectly stated Cal would not compete in USA Rugby's national 7s championship.) 

One thing we know for sure is there are now 14 qualifiers – the 13 already announced and the Empire Conference tournament slated for Nov. 19 at Stony Brook in Long Island, NY. That leaves 10 spots open for at-large bids. How will the at-large bids be divvied up? That matter appears to have been worked out.

Two undefeated DII clubs face off in New England as Middlesex, not that far removed from DIII and Worcester, not all that far removed from the top tier of DI face off in DII.

After a week off Mystic River is looking to bounce back from a 1-1 start to once again challenge for top spot in New England’s DI club league.

The Midwest and Mideast conference races enter a decisive turn Saturday, as two ranked matchups could all but eliminate a pair of teams from postseason contention.

Cal coach Ellen Owens encourages area women's teams to play more 7s this fall.

RUGBYMag.com Conditioning columnist Aaron Manheimer goes into greater detail, with video, on off-field training and workouts.

Bruce McLane speaks to scrummaging expert Simon Hardy about how he puts together and trains the scrum.

This audio interview is available to RUGBYMag.com Premier Members only.

Utah Valley has always had the talent. In 2008 it propelled the Wolverines to the national final, which they lost 25-14 to Radford.

 With Clint Wilson, an assistant coach of Utah United’s U19 program for six years, now at the helm, UVU could soon experience many more years like 2008.

“What I had seen is over the years they’d always had excellent players there, just no real structure or program, and I think that’s what was hurting them the most,” said Wilson.

“It’s weird because I think that’s where the difference has been in Utah. The U19 programs are established and they actually have a structure, whereas a lot of colleges besides Utah and BYU just didn’t have it.

“I thought Utah Valley University could be really good if they just had a program in place that they could build off of, and that’s really what pulled me to it. I knew a lot of these guys and I knew a lot of the guys that have been through the program before, and I just thought that if they had the opportunity to play in that type of situation, I just wanted to help build it there.”

Wilson figures there are about six or seven former United players who have contributed to the Wolverines’ 7-0 start. “A lot of them serve an LDS mission, so a few of them haven’t played for me for three or four years,” Wilson said.

One of those guys is Lopeti Ofa, a transfer from Utah who also played at BYU. He played U19 ball for Highland and was a U20 Eagle with Ryan Roundy and Scott Lavalla. A flyhalf for Utah, he’s playing scrumhalf for the Wolverines.

Also leading from the front for UVU  is utility player Jay Cole, who played in three national championship games for United.

Wilson’s move to the college game was sparked by the changes in the youth game.

“When they got rid of the U19 this year and just went to high school I decided (to move to college),” said Wilson.

“Some of our United boys or some of the kids I’ve coached around Utah were going to UVU and wanted to have a program, so we’re just trying to make it as structured as we can and build a program that’s going to last there. Man, we’re seeing really good results. It’s been nice.”

The Wolverines were really good last fall as well, losing just one game to rival Idaho State, who they play Saturday. Like UVU, the Bengals are a traditionally talented bunch.

“They beat UVU last fall. That was the only game they dropped in the fall. They always come with a physical team,” said Wilson.

“The thing about this whole division is a lot of these guys have a little bit of rugby in them. They’re always physical. You play in the Utah league, it’s usually kind of a physical team. They have some experienced backs. I actually saw them play last year, and they have a Pacific Islander influence back there and it’s a pretty good team. I think they’ll be tough.”  

USA men’s 7s Head Coach Al Caravelli will be assembling his Pan-Am Games squad, which will be comprised of players who attended his recent camp, plus others who were with the USA 15s team at the Rugby World Cup.

Easing the transition from football to rugby requires a little extra thinking and a nod to the traditions of both sports.

If you haven’t heard of the varsity program flourishing at Lindenwood University in Suburban St. Louis, remove the rock from above your foxhole and climb out.

AW Scott discusses the end of pool play at the World Cup, and what's to come.

Exclusive news on what the Men's Eagles schedule might look like for 2012.

USA assistant coach for forwards, Dave Hodges, says he felt the Eagles scrum made significant progress in the weeks leading up to the World Cup, and also during the World Cup.

Our first crack at a RWC pool play game is complete, and we hope it provided a bit of a rooting interest where otherwise it may have been lacking. 

For clarity, the final rules called for contestants to be awarded 5 bonus points for picking the actual try or points leader per pool. 3 points were given if a contestant picked the top points or try scorer out of players selected. 

The true top try and points scorers selected, thus scoring 5 bonus points: England's Chris Ashton (tries), Australia's Adam Ashley-Cooper (tries) and New Zealand's Israel Dagg (tries), Ireland's Ronan O'Gara (points) and South Africa's Morne Steyn (points).

The guys who led out of those selected, thus scoring 3 bonus points: Samoa's Alesana Tuilagi (tries), England's Johnny Wilkinson (points) and France's Dmitri Yachvili (points).   

The points accrued by team selections are the same as shown in the standings

T1 Brownj12 69 NZ, Arg, Sco, Fiji, Tonga Ashton, Steyn

T1 Patrickeclifton 69 AUS, Arg, Italy, Fiji, Tonga  O'Gara, Steyn, Tuilagi, Yachvili
T1 Kevin Messner 69 NZ, Wales, Sco, Can. Tonga O'Gara
4 Brent Zipoy 68 NZ, Wales, Samoa, Can, Tonga Steyn, Wilkinson
T5 Givesometakesome  67 NZ, Arg, Samoa, Can, Tonga Ashton, Tuilagi
T5 Wufoo 67 NZ, Wales, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga Steyn, Wilkinson
T5 Blues Prop 67 NZ, Wales, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga Steyn, Wilkinson
8 BC Rugby 66 NZ, Ire, Samoa, Fiji, Russia Ashton, Steyn, Wilkinson
9 Linda 65 NZ, France, Sco, Can, Tonga Steyn, Wilkinson
T10 Superstar 64 NZ, Arg, Samoa, Can, Tonga Ashley-Cooper
T10 Blake Stevens 64 Aus, France, Italy, Can, Tonga Ashton, Steyn, Tuilagi

RUGBYMag.com has established a short list of American coaches who are going to apply for the USA Men’s 15s Head Coach job, which officially is open at the end of the year.

Alex Goff checks in with every player on the World Cup squad.