Ben Cima
{{Short description|United States rugby union player (b. 1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Ben Cima
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|3|20}}
| birth_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}
| weight = {{convert|189|lb|kg|abbr=on}}
| school = Gonzaga College
| university = University of Maryland
| relatives = Matias Cima (brother)
| position = Fly-Half
| amatyears1 = 2015–2017
| amatteam1 = Rocky Gorge
| ru_amupdate =
| clubs1 = San Diego Legion
| clubs2 = New England Free Jacks
| clubs3 = Seattle Seawolves
| clubs4 = Viadana
| clubs5 = Ohio Aviators
| apps1 = 7
| apps2 = 1
| apps3 = 28
| apps4 =
| apps5 = 1
| points1 = 15
| points2 = 4
| points3 = 57
| points4 =
| points5 = 6
| years1 = 2018
| years2 = 2018
| years3 = 2019–
| years4 = 2019
| years5 = 2020
| ru_clubupdate = 13 November 2024
| repteam1 = United States U20
| repteam2 = USA Selects
| repteam3 = United States
| repyears1 = 2014–2016
| repyears2 = 2016–2017
| repyears3 = 2017–
| repcaps1 = 8
| repcaps2 = 6
| repcaps3 = 10
| reppoints1 = 88
| reppoints2 = 40
| reppoints3 = 42
| ru_ntupdate = 25 December 2020
}}
Benjamin Cima (born March 20, 1996) is an American rugby union player who plays fly-half for the United States men's national team. Cima also plays for the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Cima formerly played club rugby for Rocky Gorge and also played at the international level for the United States men's national under-20 team and the USA Selects.
Early life
Ben Cima was born in Argentina,{{cite news |last=Janes |first=Chelsea |date=July 12, 2014 |title=Ben Cima leads USA Rugby all-American team to Argentina before studying at Maryland |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/ben-cima-leads-usa-rugby-all-american-team-to-argentina-before-studying-at-maryland/2014/07/12/6d2b23c4-0314-11e4-8572-4b1b969b6322_story.html |work=The Washington Post |access-date=March 31, 2018}} the son of former La Salle rugby player, Marcelo Cima.{{cite web |url=http://espndeportes.espn.com/rugby/nota/_/id/2597089/ben-cima-un-argentino-que-hace-ruido-en-estados-unidos |title=Ben Cima, un argentino que hace ruido en Estados Unidos |last=Campana |first=Martín Ignacio |date=February 18, 2016 |website=ESPN Deportes |publisher=ESPN |access-date=March 31, 2018 |language=Spanish |trans-title=Ben Cima, an Argentinian who makes noise in the United States |quote=Ambos son hijos de Marcelo Cima, ex jugador de La Salle... (trans.: Both [Ben and Matías] are sons of Marcelo Cima, a former player for La Salle...)}} At the age of seven, Cima moved to the United States.{{cite web |url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2018/02/02/foreign-born-players-2018-americas-rugby-championship/ |title=Foreign-Born Players in 2018 Americas Rugby Championship |author= |date=February 2, 2018 |website=Americas Rugby News |access-date=March 31, 2018}} Cima was named an All-American in rugby during each of his final three years in high school, and in 2014 led Gonzaga College to its first national championship in rugby at the High School National Invitational tournament.{{cite news |last=Janes |first=Chelsea |date=May 20, 2014 |title=Gonzaga rugby caps unbeaten season with first national championship |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/gonzaga-rugby-caps-unbeaten-season-with-first-national-championship/2014/05/20/6c9c9932-e04c-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html |work=The Washington Post |access-date=March 31, 2018}}
Club career
Following his high school graduation, Cima played rugby at the University of Maryland, where he was a teammate to his older brother, Matias. Cima played senior level club rugby for Rocky Gorge{{cite web |url=https://www.usarugby.org/player/benjamin-cima/ |title=Benjamin Cima |website=USA Rugby |access-date=April 6, 2018}} in Columbia, Maryland. In January 2018, Cima signed with the San Diego Legion to play in Major League Rugby's inaugural season.{{cite web |url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2018/01/24/ben-cima-signs-san-diego-legion/ |title=Ben Cima signs for San Diego Legion |date=January 24, 2018 |website=Americas Rugby News |access-date=March 15, 2018}} Cima currently plays for the Seattle Seawolves.{{Cite web|url=http://www.seattleseawolves.com/news/usa-eagle-ben-cima-ready-to-soar-with-seattle-seawolves|title=USA Eagle Ben Cima Ready To Soar With Seattle Seawolves|website=www.seattleseawolves.com|access-date=2019-02-22}}
International career
=USA Junior All-Americans=
Cima made his debut in international play with the United States men's national under-20 team (Junior All-Americans) in 2014 and played at the 2014 Junior World Rugby Trophy. Cima also represented the United States at the 2016 Junior World Rugby Trophy. From his tenure with the Junior All-Americans, Cima is best-known for kicking a game winning penalty goal, from beyond 50 meters in the eightieth minute of play, in a victory over Canada in a 2016 Junior World Rugby Trophy qualifying match.{{cite news |last=Hipolito |first=Chad |date=February 14, 2016 |title=Canada falls to U.S. at Americas Rugby Championship, will miss U20 Trophy |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/canada-falls-to-us-at-americas-rugby-championship-will-miss-u20-trophy/article28757187/ |work=The Globe and Mail |agency=Canadian Press |location=Austin, Texas |access-date=April 6, 2018}}
=USA Selects=
In late 2016, Cima made his debut with the USA Selects in the 2016 World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge. He also represented the United States in the 2017 World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge, scoring in a defeat to Samoa,{{cite web |url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2017/10/07/samoa-overwhelm-14-man-usa/ |title=Samoa overwhelm 14-man USA |date=October 7, 2017 |website=Americas Rugby News |access-date=April 6, 2018}} and in victories over Uruguay{{cite web |url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2017/10/11/usa-defeat-uruguay-back-forth-thriller/ |title=USA defeat Uruguay in back-and-forth thriller |date=October 11, 2017 |website=Americas Rugby News |access-date=April 6, 2018}} and Canada.{{cite web |url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2017/10/15/usa-fend-off-canada-montevideo/ |title=USA fend off Canada in Montevideo |date=October 15, 2017 |website=Americas Rugby News |access-date=April 6, 2018}}
=USA Eagles=
Cima made his debut with the USA Eagles on February 4, 2017, starting at fly-half in the Eagles' 29–23 victory over Uruguay in the Americas Rugby Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2017/02/04/usa-fightback-secure-victory-uruguay/ |title=USA fight back to Secure Victory over Uruguay |date=February 4, 2017 |website=Americas Rugby News |access-date=March 15, 2018}} Cima scored three penalty goals and one conversion in his debut.{{cite web |url=https://www.usarugby.org/match/25529-usa-eagles-v-uruguay/ |title=San Antonio hosts first test, Eagles win in Americas Rugby Championship |date=February 4, 2017 |website=USA Rugby |access-date=March 15, 2018}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cima, Ben}}
Category:American rugby union players
Category:United States international rugby union players
Category:Rugby union fly-halves
Category:New England Free Jacks players
Category:Ohio Aviators players
Category:San Diego Legion players