By: Nick Pope
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – In the highest-scoring National Championship match in D1A history, the Life University men's rugby team fell to Cal, 55-38.
The Running Eagles entered the title match aiming to reclaim their first D1A National Championship since 2019, when they defeated Cal in back-to-back seasons to win consecutive titles in 2018 and 2019.
Life U came into the championship with a dominant 14-1 record, including a perfect 8-0 performance at home. Their lone defeat came during the fall, when they fell on the road to Queens University of Charlotte. Since that setback, the Running Eagles had been on a tear—outscoring opponents 532-103 over their final nine games.
Cal struck first in the championship with a successful penalty kick to take an early 3-0 lead. The Running Eagles quickly responded with a converted try in the seventh minute, but Cal answered at the 15-minute mark to reclaim the advantage.
Life U regained momentum following a penalty on the restart, setting up an attacking lineout. Rudy-Scholz Award nominee Adam Chadwick capitalized, scoring after a powerful maul in the 17th minute. Just three minutes later, another maul led to another try for the Running Eagles, extending their lead.
Cal answered with two consecutive tries of their own, and after Life U conceded again following the restart, they responded quickly with a try. The back-and-forth first half continued, with Cal scoring again just three minutes later. At halftime, Life U trailed narrowly, 31-26.
The second half opened with a Cal try just 40 seconds in, capitalizing on a forced turnover and a series of clean phases. Life U battled back, stringing together two tries to take a slim 38-36 lead in the 62nd minute.
But from there, the Golden Bears capitalized on Life U's errors, scoring the final 19 points of the match to secure the national title.
Following the game, Director of Men's Rugby Blake Bradford reflected on the team's performance and season:
"Firstly, I would just like to congratulate Cal on their victory tonight. They are a quality rugby team and have had a tremendous season. You can't make as many mistakes as we did tonight and expect to win a National Championship. While we are bitterly disappointed with the outcome, I am still massively proud of our season and the effort of all our players and staff. We will continue our focus on developing good men, and we will learn tremendously from this experience. A special thank you to all of our seniors for their contributions to our team both on and off the field. Lastly, to all our supporters, families, and alumni—thank you for all the love and support over the last 8 months."
Life University concludes the 2024–25 season with an impressive 14-2 overall record.
Try Scorers:
James Rose
Adam Chadwick x3
Kade Cunningham
Wesley Piggins
Conversions:
Bradley Crane x4
