1. Army – WestPointBlack
Knights
HeadCoach: Matt Sherman
2015 Fall Record
In Conference Overall
5 – 2 5 – 3
3rd
place,RugbyEast
CurrentD1A Top Twentyranking
#12
Players to Watch
Jake Lachina,Jr. Wing US College All-American, 2015-16
AndrewFargo,Sr. Center 1st
TeamAll-Conference,2015
Mitchell Sanderson,Jr. Lock Honorable MentionAll-Conference,2015
Luke Heun,Sr. Wing Honorable MentionAll-Conference,2015
2015 was a wildride forthe Black Knightsof Army-WestPoint.Afterstartingthe yearredhot,they
falteredabit,losingthree consecutive.HeadCoach, Matt Sherman’s teamisno shrinkingviolet
however.The cadetsregained theirforminthe spring,defeatingDartmouth,Utah,Navy andOklahoma.
Sherman’sspiritsare highregarding hissquad’sfortunes overthe year,whichinlarge partare relianton
the stringentrequirementsplacedon Service Academy athletes. “Ilovedour2015 seasonanddefinitely
considerita success,”he said. “We certainlyhadour fairshare of strugglesthroughout,butthe
resiliencyand gritthe teamshowedtobounce back, improve dramaticallyandbe playingsome very
strongrugby by the endof the seasonwasverygratifying.”
As a militaryacademy,Armydealswithhighturnoverratesinplayeravailability. Thisautumn,theywill
be withoutsix of their2015 All-Conference performers. Suchchangesare goodforthe program and all it
standsfor though.“WestPointisthe world'spreeminentleadershipdevelopment institution,”Sherman
said.“We have strongbelief inourrisingcaptains,seniorclass,andreturningplayersonthe whole,that
theywill upholdandbuilduponthe standardsetbefore them.”

2. Indeed,graduating16Firstiesintothe US Armyas 2nd
Lieutenantsthisspringremains asource of pride.
That ability,formanyplayerstowearthe jerseyhonorably yeartoyearis a key componentinthe
school’soverarchingprinciple tocreate leadersamongmen. Itisalsoa reasonthe coach isreluctantto
name “keyplayers”as such.The expectationisforeveryoneonthe teamto dotheirpart. The results,
will follownaturally.
Case in point, Armystartedthe 2016 seasonwithamachinelikewinoverStonyBrookonSept.2nd
. From
here out,they have a “no rest forthe weary” type of schedule.Conference playopensthisSaturdayat
home vs. Iona andcontinues ona six weekslate.Thatride includes aSaturday-Sunday roadweekend at
St. Bonaventure and U.Buffaloon Sept23rd
– 24th
.
The followingweektheyare onthe road againat Delaware,before finallycominghome toWestPoint
for theirprobable conference definingmatchagainstthe NittanyLions.Theywill alsoface Kutztownat
home on Oct 29th
before endingtheirfall campaignwithwhatshouldbe anespeciallyentertaining
match againsttheirservice academyrivals, the AirForce Academy.ThatNov.4th
match will be playedon
the same weekendasthe football team’s CommanderinChiefcontest withthe AFA,sothe fan-fairat
WestPointthat final weekend should be secondtonone.
No matterwhere the teamendsupin the conference standings.There are manyreasonstomake the
tripto West Pointtosee the Knights’ puton theirbest.Kutztown,PennState,Iona,andAirForce all on
the home schedule thisfall,givefansample reasonsto make aroad tripto Army’siconiccampus
overlookingthe HudsonRiver.
Article &Artworkby Ryan J.Trost
Thisis AmericanRugby – RugbyEast