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.
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Live Coverage
Fans can stream the game for free on
Team1Sports, with links provided on
navysports.com.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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