BOYDS, Md. - The Norwich University men's rugby team wrapped up their 2025 Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) campaign on Saturday afternoon, finishing sixth overall in the Men's Division II Cup after falling to Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), 26-12, in the Plate Final.

The Cadets, who had advanced to the Plate Final after a strong Friday showing, battled the East Region's top-seeded Crimson Hawks, a familiar and decorated national powerhouse.  IUP, the 2022 and 2023 CRC champions and reigning back-to-back 15s national champions, proved to be a formidable opponent.  Norwich fought hard throughout the match, with Marius Edwards and Jeffrey Pappalardo each scoring a try for five points apiece.  Logan Perry added a successful conversion to round out the Cadets' 12 points.

Despite the setback, the Cadets' resilience was on full display throughout the weekend.  Norwich opened tournament play on Friday with a commanding 20-7 victory over Memphis in the first round, before nearly pulling off a stunning comeback in a 21-14 quarterfinal loss to Colorado Mesa.  They bounced back in dominant fashion later in the day with a 31-5 win over Northwestern, earning their place in the Plate Final.

Over the course of the CRC weekend, Norwich compiled a 2-2 record, earning victories over Memphis and Northwestern while falling to strong sides in Colorado Mesa and IUP.

Edwards capped off a stellar tournament performance, finishing as one of the top scorers in the entire Men's Division II Cup.  His 26 points ranked fifth overall among all players, and his four tries placed him in a four-way tie for third-most tries scored in the tournament.

The Cadets close out another highly successful 7s season on the national stage, finishing with a 15-7 record during the spring campaign.  Norwich built momentum throughout the season with appearances at the Bermuda 7s, Old Blue 7s, the Chris Munn 7s, and ultimately clinched the North Atlantic Collegiate Rugby Conference (NACRC) Championship en route to their seventh consecutive CRC qualification.

The CRC Men's Division II Cup was ultimately won by UNC-Wilmington, who defeated Montana State, 24-12, in the tournament final.

With another strong national showing and continued tradition of excellence, the Cadets once again cemented their place among the nation's top rugby programs.