Just one year after its creation, the Roger Williams University men's polo team is headed to the national championship tournament.

The Hawks will compete as the No. 2 seed in the six-team field at the United States Polo Association Intercollegiate National Championship Tournament in Santa Barbara, Calif., April 3-8. The team is coming off a 15-14 win over Cornell University in the Northeast Regional Championship.

"You don't see too many programs that can be that good this quickly," David M. Kemmy, RWU's director of athletics, intramurals and recreation said in a release. "To have polo achieve at this level is pretty awesome. Little Roger Williams University is competing with the big boys."

The five other teams vying for the national championship are the University of Virginia (the No. 1 seed), Texas A&M, Cornell University, Southern Methodist University and California Polytechnic State University.

Coached by Ted Torrey, the RWU team consists of three sophomores: Pedro Cabrera, George Hempt and Daymar Rosser. The team practices at the Anthony Farm, in Portsmouth, and benefits from being close to Newport Polo, host of the Newport International Polo Series.

Mr. Torrey, who coached the RWU equestrian team from 2011-16, suggested adding the polo team, Kemmy said. Brown University has the only other college polo team in Rhode Island, he said. The RWU women's polo team is getting going this semester, and Torrey also is coaching that team, he said.