THE FOLLOWING IS A RANTOUL FAMILY SPORTS COMPLEX RELEASE
Rantoul, IL – Rugby Illinois is extremely excited to announce our partnership with the Rantoul Family Sports Complex and the Village of Rantoul to host the 2025 Rugby Illinois State Championships. On May 31st, teams from all over the State of Illinois will make their way to Rantoul to compete for a State Championship!
In 2024 the facility welcomed an estimated 1.1 million visitors from Champaign County, Illinois, and 24 different states. The Rantoul Family Sports Complex has begun its 5th year of operation hosting soccer, baseball, softball, football, quadball, lacrosse, and rugby.
“Hosting State Championships has been a goal of the complex for a few years now. We’re known for great competition in Champaign County through events like the Illinois Marathon and state finals for multiple IHSA events. Plus, the success of athletics at the University of Illinois and Parkland Community College, so it’s hard to beat Champaign County as a sports destination, and we’re thrilled to add a statewide competition to our already full calendar,” stated Ryan Reid, Director of Sports Operations. The complex started the calendar year with a weekend event hosted by the University of Illinois’ Men’s Rugby Team and the addition of Rugby Illinois’ State Championships will hopefully increase the interest in the sport of rugby in downstate Illinois.
“When we began the search for our State Finals Host, we narrowed our list down to a few locations. Ryan and his team were responsive, willing to accommodate all our needs, and demonstrated a deep passion for the sport. Though farther than previous locations, we feel the space, playing surfaces, and amenities – among other things – make the trip and further travel for some of our teams worthwhile.
This is a great opportunity for us to expand our geographic reach, and get more people playing, watching, and enjoying the sport. We couldn’t be happier with our decision and are looking forward to a long term, strategic partnership with the Rantoul Family Sports Complex, the Village of Rantoul, and Champaign County”, said Sal Carfagno, President of Rugby Illinois when asked about the Union’s thoughts on hosting in Rantoul.
The 2025 Rugby Illinois State Championships will take place on May 31st, 2025 and will feature youth girls and boys competitive play. Schedule has not been released, but will be added to the RFSC website or can be found at rugbyillinois.org when released.
