Wheeling, W. Va. – Before they took the pitch for their 2025 season opener, the Wheeling University Women's Rugby team was already making national headlines. The College Rugby Show released their preseason power rankings and the Cardinals took the #1 spot in the country. After winning the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) DI National Title in their inaugural season, the Cardinals are looking to keep the winning rolling in their second season.
Before their opener, the Cardinals were coming off a year where the offense averaged just over 54 points per game and went over the 50-point mark six times. The defense was just as impressive, holding opponents to just over eight points per game, shutting out opponents five times. As they kicked off 2025, it was more of the same for the Cardinals as they picked up an 87-0 win over Penn State. It was a balanced attack for the offense, which started the game with back-to-back penalty kicks before putting up 33 points in the first half. It was more of the same in the second half, as the Cardinals added 54 more points to their total to round out the 87 point effort. In total, five different Cardinals scored tries on the day with a mixture of both veterans and newcomers making their marks.
The biggest presence of the day came from senior Bella Gullatta, who set the new single-game scoring record with 37 points in the contest. It was her work with the leg that played the biggest role, after she went 9-12 on conversion kicks and 3-3 on her Penalty Kicks. Gullatta was the Cardinal's leading scorer a season ago, putting up 170 points, and is well on her way to reaching that mark once again this season. Along with the team's offensive success, the defense did their part as well, holding Penn State off the board for their first shutout of the season. It was Alexis Dallas, who also scored a try on the day, that made her make on that side of the ball, finishing with the team lead in tackles. It was a strong showing for the Cardinals in their first match as they look to hold their #1 spot.
The Cardinals led the way in the week one preseason power rankings, marking the sixth straight week of regular season play that they have been ranked #1 or higher. Following behind them was Brigham Young University (BYU) in the number yep spot, while Penn State rounded out the pool in the #3 spot. The rest of the The College Rugby Preseason Power Rankings Looks like this:

1. Wheeling
2. BYU
3. Penn State
4. Southern Nazarene
5. St. Bonaventure
6. Walsh
7. Aquinas

The Wheeling University Women's Rugby team returns to the pitch on Saturday, September 6th, when they take on Davenport at 11 AM.