ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy men's rugby team (4-0, 2-0 Rugby East) continues its conference slate when it plays host to Southern Virginia (0-3, 0-2 Rugby East) on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Prusmack Rugby Center. The Midshipmen are looking to stay hot in league play, carrying an eight-game Rugby East winning streak into the weekend.
Live Coverage
Fans can stream the game live on the
Navy Athletics YouTube channel.
Notes for Traveling Fans
- Admission to the Prusmack Rugby Center is free.
- Spectator parking is located in the lots on the north side of the Brigade Sports Complex (64 Greenbury Point Road, Annapolis, MD 21402). Overflow parking is available in the open space on the west side of the facility.
Navy Notes
- Andrew Baublitz leads the offense with a team-high five tries and has scored in every game this season. The program's all-time try scorer has totaled 43 scores in 50 career games.
- Kade Williams is Navy's top scorer, handling kicking duties. He has tallied a team-best 35 points on 16 conversion kicks and a penalty kick.
- Avion Ganse has brought more explosiveness to the Mids' offense, scoring two tries in the two games since his return to the lineup.
- Co-captain Trevor Gayron's four tries this season already surpass his previous single-season best of three.
- Since joining the team late last year, Jack Skidmore has scored seven tries in 10 career games.
- Navy's depth and passing distribution have been on display, with 16 different Midshipmen scoring at least one try this season.
- A solid core of 13 athletes has appeared in all four games for Navy.
- Maximus Buono made his season debut last weekend, providing a defensive spark off the bench with 11 tackles.
- The Midshipmen have outscored their opponents 209-20 and allowed only two tries all season.
- Navy's defense averages 14.5 turnovers per game, including a season-high 20 against St. Bonaventure.
Scouting Southern Virginia
- Southern Virginia is searching for its first win this season, entering the weekend with a 0-3 overall record and a 0-2 mark in Rugby East play.
- The Knights dropped their most recent game to Penn State, 29-12.
- Saturday marks Southern Virginia's second road game this year. The Knights opened the season at Queens on Sept. 4, where the Royals controlled the game, 45-3.
- The Knights are led by second-year head coach Paul Lasike, who guided the team to a 5-9 overall record in his first season.
- After leaving the Rugby East conference last season, Southern Virginia rejoined the league and holds an 0-7 all-time record in conference play.
Navy vs. Southern Virginia
- Saturday's game is the second meeting between the Midshipmen and the Knights. The teams met in Navy's inaugural season, with the Mids routing SVU, 75-0.
Last Time Out: Army-Navy Star Game
Navy secured its fourth-consecutive Star Match victory with a physical 26-14 win over Army on Saturday at the Prusmack Rugby Center.
Avion Ganse led the offense with a pair of tries, including a breakaway score in the final minute to seal the victory.
Andrew Baublitz extended his season-long scoring streak with a first-half try, and
Trevor Gayron added a score off a powerful maul in the second half.
Defensively, Navy surrendered its first try of the season in the opening minutes but locked down for the remainder of the match, highlighted by a critical goal-line stand late in the first half to preserve the lead.
Masino Named NAAA Co-Athlete of the Week
John Masino earned Naval Academy Athletic Association Co-Athlete of the Week honors after anchoring the men's rugby team's defense in the Star Game victory over Army last Saturday. Masino played all 80 minutes and recorded a team-high 27 tackles against the Black Knights, helping the Midshipmen improve to 8-0 all-time against their rival. He shared the weekly award, presented by USAA, with junior water polo player Quinn Bartlett.
