MARIETTA, Ga. – Life University Athletics and USA Rugby are proud to announce a first-of-its-kind exhibition match as the USA Women's Falcons travel to Marietta this August to face the reigning National Champion Life University Running Eagles on Monday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET at Lupo Family Field.

The match will serve as the centerpiece of the Falcons' pre-tour training camp at Life University as the USA Rugby development squad prepares for its upcoming tour of Brazil. The contest marks a unique opportunity for a national team pathway program to compete against one of the premier collegiate rugby programs in the country.

Fans can watch the match live for free on the USA Rugby YouTube channel. Tickets for admission at Lupo Family Field are available through the Life Running Eagles Ticket Page and usa.rugby/tickets.

"This match against Life University offers a unique and valuable opportunity, particularly through the connection and collaborative relationship with a high-performance program that consistently contributes to USA Rugby player pathways," said USA Women's Falcons Head Coach Orlando Pulou. "Programs like Life University continue to be important talent pipelines for our Falcons player pool, and four current Falcons on this year's tour highlight the strength of that connection.

"Beyond the competitive element, this camp and match provide an important foundation ahead of our Brazil tour by helping us establish performance standards, challenge our development processes, and build team cohesion. Life University and Head Coach Ryszard Chadwick will present an outstanding challenge that will help us identify strengths, areas for improvement, and continue building the identity of this Falcons program."

"We are grateful for this collaborative opportunity and excited to use it as a springboard for the tour ahead."

For Life University, the opportunity to host and compete against a national team development side further reflects the institution's longstanding role in growing rugby in the United States and developing elite talent.

"We are thrilled to host the USA Women's Falcons at Life University for their pre-Brazil training camp," said Life University Head Coach and Director of Women's Rugby Ryszard Chadwick. "Welcoming the national team's second side to our campus is a tremendous honor and a testament to the progress our program continues to make.

"For our student-athletes, especially the younger players coming through the Life pathway, this is an incredible opportunity. Training and competing against international-caliber opposition provides a clear benchmark of what it takes to perform at the highest level. It allows us to evaluate where our athletes are in their development while creating meaningful high-performance competition that bridges the gap between collegiate rugby and national team selection.

"We are proud to help build that bridge for the next generation of USA Rugby players. It will also be exciting to watch several former and current Running Eagles represent the Falcons against their Life teammates, including Lissa Salisbury, Dorothy Vunipola, Bella Vogel, and Angelina Mason."

The Falcons' 2026 Brazil tour will mark the third consecutive year the program has traveled to South America, providing valuable international competition for the extended USA Women's Eagles player pool. Combined with the addition of a high-profile fixture against a Life University squad that captured national championships across collegiate 15s, club, and sevens competition, the matchup promises to deliver an exciting showcase of elite women's rugby and the strength of the USA Rugby development pathway.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Aug. 3 at Lupo Family Field.