BOYDS, Md. - The Norwich University men's rugby team closed out another strong national showing over the weekend, finishing 11th in the nation at the 2026 Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) Men's Division II Cup at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Competing against a 16-team national field, the Cadets posted a 2-2 record across the weekend and again proved their ability to compete on the sport's biggest stage.  Norwich opened tournament play against the defending national champions, earned a dominant shutout victory over a familiar regional foe, battled through a delayed semifinal contest, and capped the event with an emphatic win in the final match of longtime head coach Bob Weggler's career.

The 11th-place national finish marked the eighth consecutive appearance for Norwich at the 7s national championship.  The weekend also brought individual recognition, as freshman James Fagley (Vernon, Vt.) was named to the Division II All-Tournament Team, honoring the top seven performers from across the tournament field.

Norwich opened the CRC against perhaps the toughest possible draw, squaring off with top-seeded University of North Carolina Wilmington, the defending national champions and eventual 2026 title winners.  The Seahawks seized control early, building a 26-point lead in the opening half and putting the Cadets in an immediate hole.

Even so, Norwich responded with toughness after the break.  The Cadets outscored UNC Wilmington, 17-5, over the final half, showing the resilience that had defined much of their spring.  Sophomore Tyreeque Green (Shirley, N.Y.) crossed for an unconverted try, while senior Sebastian Yates added a converted score.  Senior Dumisani Janda (Harare, Zimbabwe) handled the successful conversion as Norwich closed the match with a much stronger second-half effort despite the 33-17 setback.

That result dropped the Cadets into the Bowl Bracket, where they faced University at Albany later in the day.  Against a familiar opponent, Norwich delivered one of its sharpest performances of the tournament, controlling the match from start to finish in a 31-0 shutout victory.

Janda opened the scoring with an unconverted try before junior Joe Whiteside (Killingworth, Conn.) added a converted score.  Green later broke through for another try, with Janda supplying the extras.  In the second half, Whiteside returned to the try zone once more, and Fagley capped the convincing result with a converted score as Norwich blanked the Great Danes and secured its first win of the weekend.

In the Bowl semifinal, the Cadets met Montana State University in a rematch of last season's national tournament.  After multiple lightning delays pushed kickoff back nearly two hours, both sides came out slow before the Bobcats found their footing and eventually pulled away.

Montana State posted a 38-7 victory, but Norwich avoided the shutout late as Green touched down for his third try of the weekend.  Janda added the conversion, and the Cadets turned their attention to one final opportunity on Sunday in the 11th-place match against Drexel University.

With the final match of Weggler's 25-year head coaching tenure on the horizon, Norwich delivered one last memorable effort for its longtime leader.  From the opening whistle, the Cadets combined disciplined defense with efficient attacking play and rolled to a 36-0 shutout over the Dragons.

Fagley sparked the effort with two first-half tries, while senior captain Jake Peterson (Trumbull, Conn.) also crossed before the break.  Janda converted two of those three scores as Norwich built firm control by halftime.

The Cadets continued to press in the second half.  Senior John Shaffer (Tyngsboro, Mass.) added a try, sophomore Brandon Smith (Charlotte, N.C.) followed with another, and Fagley completed his hat trick to put an emphatic finishing touch on the weekend.  Janda added one more conversion as Norwich wrapped up the tournament with a statement result.

The weekend served as both another national benchmark for the program and the closing chapter of Weggler's remarkable run at Norwich.  After 25 years of service to Norwich Athletics, Norwich Rugby, and the Northfield community, Weggler closed his final tournament with the Cadets once again competing among the nation's best.

Norwich's 2026 CRC appearance extended the program's streak of eight straight trips to the national 7s championship and added another strong finish to a spring campaign that once again showcased the Cadets' staying power on the national stage.