ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy men's rugby team's (2-0) quest for its fifth-consecutive Rugby East Conference championship begins this Saturday when it travels to Fredericksburg, Va., to take on Mary Washington (0-0) at 11 a.m.
Live Coverage
Fans can stream the game for free on
Team1Sports, with links provided on
navysports.com.
Navy Aims to Continue Rugby East Dominance
The Mids have claimed the conference crown in four-consecutive years since joining the league ahead of the 2022-23 season. Navy has posted a 27-1 record against Rugby East opponents over the last four seasons. Additionally, a Midshipman has led the league in scoring during that four-year span, including
Roanin Krieger, who was the league's top scorer in each of the last three seasons.
Last Time Out: vs. Air Force
Navy posted a dominant 78-0 shutout over service academy rival Air Force last Friday. The victory allowed the Midshipmen to retain the Lt. Col. Kevin Shea Memorial Cup for the eighth-consecutive meeting.
Five Midshipmen —
Andrew Baublitz,
Ian Bullock,
Sean Donohue,
Jake Cornelius and
Adam Mertens — recorded two tries each to pace the offense. Flyhalf
Kade Williams anchored the kicking game with seven conversions. Navy built a 45-0 halftime lead, relying on a stifling defense that continuously pressured the Falcons into turnovers.
The 78-point margin of victory matched the third-largest in school history, while the team's 12 tries tied for the fourth-most in program history.
Navy Notes
- With his two tries in last week's victory, Baublitz became the second Midshipman in program history to eclipse the 200-point career mark.
- Baublitz, the program's all-time try scorer (41), and Cornelius are tied for the team lead with three tries apiece this season.
- Cornelius became the eighth Mid in Navy history to reach the 100-point career milestone in the victory against Air Force.
- Navy secured its first back-to-back shutouts since the 2023-24 season, when the Mids blanked Notre Dame (78-0) and Delaware (117-0).
- Williams leads the team in total points (29), conversions (13) and penalty kicks (1).
- The Mids' depth has played a significant role in the first two games, as 12 different athletes have scored at least one try.
- Navy has displayed its power in each of the last two games, racking up 516 meters after contact against Air Force and 397 against St. Bonaventure.
Scouting Mary Washington
- Mary Washington will begin its season on Saturday. The Eagles are scheduled to play six games this fall, all against Rugby East opponents.
- The Eagles finished with a 4-8 record last season and an appearance in the Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) National Championship playoffs.
- Mary Washington's roster features 22 athletes who are either juniors or seniors.
Navy vs. Mary Washington
Saturday's game will mark the sixth meeting between the programs, with Navy winning all five previous contests by a combined score of 191-46.
The Mids and Eagles squared off twice last season. The first meeting came in the fall, when Navy cruised to a 65-3 victory in Annapolis. The two teams then met in the spring during the first round of the CRAA National Championship playoffs, where the Mids ended Mary Washington's season with a 40-11 victory.
