WWU Men’s Rugby wins D1AA 15s National Championship

The Western Washington University Men’s Rugby program has some new hardware to add to its trophy case, winning the 2026 CRAA (College Rugby Association of America) National Rugby Championships D1AA 15s National Championship.

The Vikings defeated Iowa State 19-13 in the title match Sunday at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis. Western reached the championship match by defeating Millennia Atlantic on Friday in the semifinal, 36-19.

The Road to Indianapolis for the Vikings was paved by claiming the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference (NCRC) 15s Championship and battling through a demanding national bracket to earn their place among the Final Four in D1AA in Indianapolis.

“To bring a national championship home to Western Washington University Men’s Rugby isn’t just about a final score it’s about years of grit, sacrifice and belief,” said head coach Adam Roberts. “It’s about early mornings, relentless training sessions, and the kind of brotherhood that pushes you past limits you didn’t think you could break. This victory belongs to every player who wore the jersey before us, every alumnus who helped build this program from the ground up, and every person who invested their time, energy, and heart into making this moment possible. You set the standard and we carried it forward. We’re proud, proud of this team, proud of this school, and proud to represent a community that never stopped believing in what we could become."

The WWU Men’s Rugby program is competitive club sport that has a rich history of success under current head coach Adam Roberts and Director of Rugby for the Western Rugby Alumni Paul Horne. The Western Rugby Alumni (WRA) provides scholarship support, financial backing and decades of commitment to help build the program into a national contender.