Wheeling, W.Va- The off-season has come and gone, the players have returned to campus, training camp has concluded, and the roster has been finalized. The Wheeling University Men's Rugby team is eager to step onto the pitch for the first time tomorrow afternoon in hopes they can start the season off strong.
Last season, the Cardinals finished the Fall 15's season with an overall record of 6-3. The team made an appearance in the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) semifinal match against Queens University of Charlotte, but they came up short 33-22. After the premature exit, the Cardinals are looking to go further than last year and end the season with a trophy.
The team retains many pieces of the program's prestigious puzzle, including senior Lawula Bata and Sophomore Panashe Mugorogodi. Bata has been named the captain of the squad after being sidelined with an injury during last year's 15's season. Mugorogodi finished last season second on the team with eight tries for 40 points. His speed on the wings will be key for the Cardinal offense.
Having speed on the outside is a nice thing to have and is part of the reason why the Cardinals are back-to-back 7's national champions. However, in 15's, having size in the middle of the field is key so the forwards can win the scrums and pitch the ball to the outsides whenever possible. Graduate student Navin Couch returns to help fill in that role along with sophomores Sophomores Izzy Guzman and Brandt Pawlowski to aid in the scrums and line outs.
The Cardinal's sideline will look a little different too as Maxwell Hamilton has been promoted as the new head coach as of July 18th, 2025. Hamilton served as a graduate assistant for the program, primarily working with the forward group. He credits former head coach Mike Geibel for preparing him to step into this role, but Hamilton plans on continuing the winning tradition by bringing home not just one championship, but two this year.
A Hawkeye's View
The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Crimson Hawks are a decorated program as well and are no stranger to success in the NCR Playoffs. For the past two seasons, the Crimson Hawks have defended their title as the Division II 15's Champion. The NCR released their rankings on Wednesday and pinned IUP at the number two spot in Division II under Montana State University. While they should still be competing for a three-peat in December, the Hawks have lost lots of senior talent and depth, including Dominic Holmes, who led all of Division II in points scored during the postseason. The Hawks return All-American sophomore Santino Fischio and graduate student Malcom Johnson to bolster their lineup. Head coach Seth Erwin hopes both players are up to the task to lead the squad back to the promised land for another championship.
The Cardinals and Hawks have been paired up just three times in the past, and in all three times, the Cardinals have been the victors. The last time these two met was on April 1st, 2023, in Cincinnati, OH as the Cards shut out the Hawks 36-0. However, the last time the two met for 15's play was September 11th, 2021, in Indiana, PA. The Cardinals won that match 45-10.
The Details
The Wheeling University Men's Rugby team welcomes the IUP Crimson Hawks to Bishop Schmitt Field for their season opener on Saturday, August 30th, 2025, at 1pm. The match will be streamed live on the Mountain East Digital Network and can be seen HERE. Stats from the match can be viewed live HERE.
