October 18, 2026​

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TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Rugby continued its Fall campaign Saturday at Sitton Field, hosting Western Washington and Arizona State in a doubleheader. The Wildcats delivered a dominant performance against Western Washington’s newly promoted 2026 DIAA national champions before Arizona’s 2nd XV secured a convincing victory over Arizona State, moving the program to 4-0 overall on the season.

First XV Dominates Western Washington

The Wildcats welcomed Western Washington with an early strike from scrumhalf Connor McIsaac, who worked hard in support following a line break from Ethan Heim. Fullback Lance Barker provided the final pass to put McIsaac over the line before adding the conversion to open a strong afternoon from the tee.

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A Vikings handling error created another attacking opportunity for Arizona, with Chris Grosse powering over from close range to extend the lead to 14-0. Western Washington responded in the 19th minute to cut the deficit to 14-7, but Arizona quickly regained control.

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Flyhalf Saxon Gerstl helped create the Wildcats’ next score, putting center Nick Morgan through a gap that the junior exploited to extend the advantage. Arizona added another before halftime when McIsaac’s box kick, combined with a relentless chase from Jake Schumacher and Marcus Harris, produced a momentum-shifting score and sent the Wildcats into the break with a 26-7 lead.

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Arizona came out for the second half looking to sharpen its handling and test combinations across the squad. Wing Ethan Heim made an immediate impact, crossing for two tries in a seven-minute stretch. The first came off a well-executed set-piece move, while the second followed a chip kick from center Tom Manning, pushing the Wildcats’ advantage to 38-7.

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Late tries from Morgan and Schumacher, along with strong contributions from the finishers, completed a comprehensive 52-7 victory. The result moved Arizona to 3-0 on the season.

Second XV Completes the Doubleheader Sweep

Arizona’s 2nd XV followed with a matchup against Arizona State, taking on an opponent that made a run to last season’s D1AA National Championships. The young Wildcats started slowly but settled into the contest, using disciplined defense to generate attacking opportunities and build momentum.

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Arizona’s defensive pressure translated into points as the hosts pulled away for a convincing 49-14 victory, completing the doubleheader sweep and moving the overall program record to 4-0 to open the Fall campaign.

From the Director

“I'm proud of the way the group competed across both matches, and it's encouraging to see contributions from throughout the program. Going 4-0 to start the Fall is a positive step, but we know there is plenty we need to clean up and improve. Our focus is on building depth, developing competition within the squad, and establishing the standards and culture required to compete for a national championship. These matches are important opportunities to test ourselves, develop combinations, and continue building toward the spring. We're pleased with where we're headed, but we know our best rugby is still ahead of us.”

Up Next

Arizona Rugby will look to build on its unbeaten start as the Wildcats continue their Fall schedule traveling to San Diego State next weekend for two matches.

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WWU Match Recap​​​

Tries: 8- Heim (2), Morgan (2), McIsaac, Grosse, Harris, Schumacher

Conversions: Barker- 6-8