No. 2 Navy Rugby Advances to CRAA Division I-A Semifinals

The second-ranked Navy men’s rugby team advanced to the Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) Division I-A semifinals with a 38-10 victory over Army West Point on April 19, 2026, at Michie Stadium in West Point, New York.

The Midshipmen improved to 10-1 on the season with the win, securing their second consecutive appearance in the CRAA Division I-A semifinals. Navy’s defense held Army to just 10 points, forcing three turnovers and limiting the Black Knights to 210 total yards of offense.

Junior fly-half Marcus Rivera led Navy’s offense with 18 points, including two conversions, two penalties, and a try in the 22nd minute that broke a 3-3 tie. Senior captain and flanker Ethan Cole recorded a team-high 12 tackles and forced a fumble that led to Navy’s second try just before halftime.

Navy’s forward dominance proved decisive, as the Midshipmen won 8 of 12 scrums and controlled 65% of possession in the second half. Army managed only one try, scored in the 58th minute by winger Jacob Torres, but failed to convert the subsequent kick.

The victory avenged Navy’s only loss of the season, a 24-17 defeat to Army in the opening round of the Patriot League rugby competition on March 8, 2026. That earlier loss had dropped Navy to No. 3 in the CRAA Division I-A rankings before they rebounded with six consecutive wins.

Head coach Tim O’Brien praised his team’s discipline and execution in the post-match press conference.

We stuck to our game plan, executed under pressure, and made the Black Knights earn every yard. This group believes in each other, and it showed today.

Tim O’Brien, Navy men’s rugby head coach

Navy will now face the winner of the quarterfinal between No. 1 seed Life University and No. 4 seed Davenport University in the CRAA Division I-A semifinal, scheduled for May 3, 2026, at a neutral site to be determined. Life University entered the tournament as the defending champion after defeating Davenport 29-22 in last year’s final.

Army’s season ends at 7-4. The Black Knights finished third in the Patriot League rugby standings behind Navy and Air Force, who defeated Army 31-14 in their regular-season finale on April 12, 2026.

The CRAA Division I-A tournament features the top eight teams in the nation based on regular-season performance and conference championships. Navy’s semifinal berth marks the program’s fifth appearance in the final four since 2020, including a national championship appearance in 2022.