Wheeling, W. Va. - After a long preseason of training, the Wheeling University Men's Rugby team is set to take the field for the first time since their National Championship run in the spring. They hit the road for the first of three road games in the regular season when they take on Davenport with kick-off at 1 PM. It also serves as the Cardinal's lone non-conference game during the regular season as they prepare to hit the road towards the Big Rivers Rugby Conference (BRRC) Tournament.
During the 2023 15's season, the team took on two tough non-conference opponents out of the gate and began the season 0-2. They took on Queens University of Charlotte in the opener and fell 29-11 before dropping their home opener to the University of Mary Washington 17-15. However, once they hit BRRC play, the Cardinals turned on the jets with wins of 36-22 over Thomas More and 22-18 over the University of Rio Grande. They earned the #1 seed in the BRRC East for the Tournament. They opened the tournament with a 29-11 win over #4 seeded Aquinas College and came back with a 39-30 home win in the semifinals over Marian. They went on the road to face Principia in the first ever BRRC Championship match, and came out victorious with the winning try in the final five minutes as they beat the Panthers 22-17. They once again earned the #1 seed in the East in the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) playoffs, but dropped a Quarterfinal match to St. Bonaventure 26-13.
This year's Cardinals team has several veterans on their team, and leading the charge will be junior Aaron Juma. Juma became the first Cardinal ever drafted in the Major League Rugby (MLR) draft this past season when he was taken 17th overall in the second round by Old Glory DC. Juma was a force to be reckoned with for the Cardinals, leading the team with four tries during the playoff run. In the BRRC Championship match, Juma was the one who would run in the game-winning try with less than five minutes to go as the Cardinals claimed their first-ever 15's conference championships. During the 7's season, Juma tied with teammate Shadreck Mandaza for the team lead with 10 tries as he helped lead the team to their first-ever National Championships.
Mandaza also returns to the Cardinals, competing in his first ever 15's season, after breaking out during the spring season. Mandaza, like Juma, tied for the team lead with 10 tries during the Collegiate Rugby Championships (CRC) 7's National Championships. Mandaza earned the tournament's MVP award for his efforts, scoring four tries in the CRC National 7's National Championship match. Mandaza looks to transition his skills from the 7's game to 15's as he helps lead the Cardinals on another National Championship run. The most veteran player on this year's team is Joe Iye, who is entering his fifth season as a member of the Cardinals. Iye served as the primary kicker during last 15's season, and looks to finish out strong with the Cardinals in 2024.
The 2024 15's season is a road heavy schedule for the Cardinals, with three of their four regular season games coming away from Bishop Schmitt Field. The only exception comes in their week two matchup when they kick-off Homecoming & Family weekend against the University of Rio Grande on September 27th. The Cardinals were 20-0-1 combined away from Bishop Schmitt Field between 15's and 7's season. The Cardinals have not lost a match since the NCR DI 15's Playoffs against St. Bonaventure and enter Saturday's opener riding a 13-game winning streak dating back to April 6th when the team tied with Louisville. They look to keep the streak alive as they head into 15's season.
The Matchup
The Cardinals and Panthers are meeting for the fifth time in program history, with Davenport leading the all-time series at 3-0-1. It is the third trip for Wheeling out to Davenport, where they are 0-2, while the team holds an 0-1-1 record against the Panthers at Bishop Schmitt Field. Saturday will mark the second ever 15's match between the two teams and the first since the 2021 season as the teams renew their rivalry into the 15's season.
Their last meeting came on October 16th, 2021, when Wheeling and Davenport ended in a 29-29 draw. With less than 10 minutes to go, the Cardinals would take the lead on a try that made it 27-26 with four minutes to play. They hit the conversion kick to take a two-point lead but Davenport kicked through a penalty kick in the final minute that tied the game at 29-29 and earned the draw.
The Details
Kick-off for Saturday's game is scheduled 1 PM in Grand Rapids, Michigan on the campus of Davenport University. Stay tuned to wucardinals.com for a full recap at the end of the match.
