The Valdosta State rugby club has made it to the national championship tournament−almost.

After going 5-0 in a qualifying tournament at Emory College on April 12, the team earned the right to play with the nation’s best teams in the National Small College Rugby Organization national championship.

The only problem the team is facing is funds.

In order for the team to make it to Philadelphia, where the tournament is held, they will need to raise about $6,000.

The club has a series of fundraisers lined up in the next couple of weeks.

On Saturday, there will be a car wash held in the parking lot of Lucky’s right off Baytree Rd. The event starts at 3 p.m., and they are accepting donations.

On Monday, the team will be at The Mill in Remerton. One dollar from each pizza buffet purchased between 6-9 p.m. will go to the team.

The Blazers will also be hosting a 7’s tournament (named because there are seven players on the field for each team) on May 3 at north campus. The team will be selling T-shirts for $15, and the proceeds will go to the tournament fund.

Anybody wishing to support the team can also access the team’s GoFundMe account through the Valdosta State Rugby Club Facebook page and donate via credit card.

The NSCRO tournament will be held May 3-June 1.

In the first part of the semester, the Blazers played in a 15’s league. VSU lost in the playoffs against Loyola University New Orleans and were unable to go to the national championship. The 15’s season goes from January to spring break.

The NSCRO tournament is held for 7’s rugby which begins as soon as the 15’s season ends. The number of players decreases because during the summer, athletes are not around as much.

The Blazers avenged their loss to LUNO when they took down the Wolfpack in the finals of the tournament at Emory.

This article was written by Alex Tostado.