Undefeated Warhawk men's rugby team crushes its way to the Final Four
November 26, 2014
Averaging more than 82 points per game, and outscoring opponents 908-72, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's rugby team is one match away from playing for a national championship.
The Warhawks, ranked No. 2 in the nation, will play No. 4-ranked Notre Dame College in the semifinal round of the USA Rugby Collegiate Division II national tournament on Saturday, Dec. 6, in Greenville, S.C.
"We'll be competing against a school that offers rugby as a varsity scholarship sport," said AJ Andolino, a UW-Whitewater senior lock. "It will be a tough challenge, but we have a talented group of guys who have been playing together for a while, and we have a strong camaraderie."
The 11-0 Warhawks are offensive and defensive juggernauts. They've scored more than 100 points in four games this season. Only once, in the conference championship vs. UW-Stout, did they score fewer than 50 points. UW-Whitewater has shut out its opponents five times.
The winner of Saturday's game will play either James Madison University or the University of Minnesota Duluth for the national title on Dec. 7. Interactive bracket >>
The Warhawks are asking for financial support from the community to help defray the costs of transportation to the finals. Founded in 1989, men's rugby is a club sport at UW-Whitewater and participates nationally as a Division II collegiate team. The Warhawks won the national championship in 2011.
"It's awesome to represent a small college town, especially when we're competing against bigger schools," Andolino said. "The support from our friends, family members and fans means a great deal."
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Sept. 6 | Marquette | W | 81-15 |
| Sept. 13 | UW-La Crosse | W | 114-0 |
| Sept. 27 | Northern Michigan | W | 112-0 |
| Oct. 5 | UW-Milwaukee | W | 101-5 |
| Oct. 11 | UW-Stout | W | 53-5 |
| Oct. 18 | UW-Platteville | W | 78-0 |
| Oct. 25 | DePaul (Conference Tournament) | W | 142-0 |
| Nov. 8 | UW-La Crosse (Conference Tournament) | W | 53-12 |
| Nov. 9 | UW-Stout (Conference Championship) | W | 41-10 |
| Nov. 22 | Bentley (Sweet 16) | W | 69-0 |
| Nov. 23 | Vermont (Elite 8) | W | 64-25 |
| Dec. 6 | Notre Dame College (Final Four) | ||
| Dec. 7 | Championship Game/3rd place game | ||