The Wheeling University Men’s Rugby team achieved a remarkable feat on Saturday afternoon, bringing home their second consecutive National title. After two hard-fought matches, the Cardinals secured the victory, first defeating Queens College 38-12 and then topping St. Bonaventure 19-5 in the National Championship game. This victory marked the fourth National Title in Wheeling University’s Athletic Department history.
Game One: Wheeling 38, Queens 12
After a strong performance on Friday, the Cardinals faced off against tough East Division opponents, starting with Queens University of Charlotte. Wheeling wasted no time getting on the board, with Shadreck Mandaza using his speed to score early and convert his own kick for a 7-0 lead. Just two minutes later, Alex Nyamunda followed with a big run and Mandaza added another successful conversion, putting the Cardinals ahead 14-0.
Queens responded with a try and conversion to close the gap to 14-7. But Wheeling kept up the pressure, and Mandaza scored his second try, followed by another successful conversion, bringing the halftime score to 21-7 in favor of the Cardinals.
The second half saw the freshmen step up. Mason Ziegler scored his first try of the tournament, followed by Nyamunda’s second try, quickly extending Wheeling’s lead to 31-5. Panashe Mugorogodi added another try, and with Joe Iye’s conversion, the Cardinals were in control at 36-5. Queens managed one more try in the final minutes, but the game ended with Wheeling clinching a 38-12 victory.
Mandaza was the standout performer, contributing 16 points to lead the Cardinals’ offense. Nyamunda, Ziegler, and Mugorogodi each scored a try, while Iye added two points through the conversion.
Game Two: Wheeling 19, St. Bonaventure 5
In the National Championship game, the Cardinals faced St. Bonaventure, a team that had proven tough throughout the tournament. Both teams struggled to break through early defenses, but at 5:45, Nyamunda powered through the Bonnies’ defense to score the first try of the match. Mandaza successfully converted, giving Wheeling a 7-0 lead as the teams headed into halftime.
In the second half, the Cardinals began to pull away. Mugorogodi, receiving a pass from Mandaza, sprinted down the sidelines for a try, with Mandaza’s kick making it 14-0. Wheeling’s defense remained rock-solid, and Ayoub Jalli sealed the win with his first try of the tournament, making it 19-0. St. Bonaventure managed to score once in the 14th minute, but the Cardinals had already done enough to secure the 19-5 victory.
Mandaza was named tournament MVP for the second consecutive year, leading the Cardinals in every game, including scoring nine points in the title match. Mugorogodi and Jalli each added a try, securing the championship victory.
With back-to-back National titles in their pocket, the Wheeling University Men’s Rugby team heads into the off-season with a lot to celebrate.
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