Wheeling, W. Va. - Entering the 2025 Spring 7's season, the Wheeling University Men's Rugby team (13-1) had a target on their back after winning the 2024 Collegiate Rugby Championships (CRC) National Championship. On Saturday, the team begins the road back to the National title game with their first postseason event at the 2025 Big Rivers Rugby Conference (BRRC) 7's Championships. The Cardinals would go a perfect 5-0 at last season's event and will be looking to win their third straight conference title heading into the National Tournament field.
Last time out, the Cardinals wrapped up the regular season portion of their schedule when they competed at the Fighting Irish 7's at the University of Notre Dame. It would be a combination of top regional talent and some BRRC rivals as the Cardinals played three of their four conference rivals. The day started out with two tight battles as the Cardinals defeated Adrian College 26-17 and followed that up with a narrow 21-17 win over MArian to advance to the playoffs. It would be a rematch of the 2024 National Title game as the Cardinals battled Kutztown and took home a 19-7 victory to advance to the tournament championship match. There, they would face another conference rival in Iowa Central Community College, falling in the final seconds 21-17 to take their first loss of the 7's season.
As has been the case since he stepped on the Rugby pitch for the Cardinals last season, it was Shadreck Mandaza leading the way for the Cardinals, scoring 34 points between the four matches. He would play big in both the scoring and kicking game, scoring one try in each game as he used his speed and agility to work around the defense. However, his biggest role for the team this season has come in the kicking game, where he tallied 14 of those 34 points on the day. After missing a kick in the opening game, Mandaza would keep that success going, finishing 7-11 in conversion kicks on the night. Mandaza has handled the majority of the kicking duties for the Cardinals this season, and has made over 60% of the kicks he has attempted during the year. As the Cardinals head into the postseason, they will be looking to last year's National Championship MVP to once again lead the way in this year's postseason run.
Along with Mandaza's success, it was a breakout tournament for Lawula Bata, who scored a season-high three tries across the four events. Bata would score one try in three of the four matches, including opening the scoring for the Cardinals in the championship match against Iowa Central CC. He tied his season-high with the three-try effort, equaling his mark from the Nail City 7's and will look to keep being a difference maker for the Cardinals down the stretch. The other big scorer for the Cardinals was Alex Nyamunda, who kept his strong spring going. Like Bata, Nyamunda would score tries in three of the four games on the day, and has been the Cardinal's leading try scorer through three tournaments this season. He set a season-high with eight tries at the Nail City 7's and earned his first All-American honor during the 15's season.
The 2025 BRRC 7's Championship will be hosted in Indianapolis, Indiana for the third season in a row, and the Cardinals are looking to claim their third straight conference title. In 2024, it was a total team effort in the victory as the Cardinals allowed a total of seven points between the five matches. That lone try came in the opening match against Rio Grande as the Cardinals outscored opponents 186-7 across those five games. They would take down Rio Grande in the championship game 50-0 to claim the title for the second straight season. Wheeling has won the BRRC 7's Championship every year since its inception during the 2022 7's season, and look to hold their place a top the conference heading into the National Championships in two weeks.
Tournament Details
The 2025 BRRC 7's Championships will be played in Indianapolis, Indiana for the third year in a row and will feature all seven teams in the conference. The tournament features both a winners and consolation bracket, with every team guaranteed at least two games in the tournament. In order to win the 2025 BRRC 7's Championship, the Cardinals will have to win five straight matches. A win in the tournament would set the Cardinals as one of the top seeds in the upcoming CRC National 7's as they try and chase down a second consecutive National Championship.
The Details
Game one of the 2025 BRRC 7's Championships is scheduled for Saturday, April 12th, with opening kick-off at 11 AM. Stay tuned to wucardinals.com for updates throughout the day and a full scoring recap when scoring information becomes available.
