DUDLEY, Mass. (9/19/2026) - The Nichols College men's rugby team opened its 2026 season in dominant fashion Saturday evening, cruising to a 94-5 victory over Bryant University at Michael J. Vendetti Field.
The Bison start their new campaign at 1-0 overall.
The Bison wasted little time taking control of the match. Toby Ludewig opened the scoring with the first try of the afternoon before Blake Moore added another to extend the early advantage. Cam Chapman followed with Nichols' third try and later added a penalty kick as the Bison continued to build momentum. Tyler Davis then crossed the line for the fourth try of the half, followed by Nicol Johnstone, who added the fifth. Jimmy McGreggor closed out the first-half scoring with Nichols' sixth try, sending the Bison into halftime with a commanding 45-0 lead.
After the break, the Bison kept rolling as Davis and Moore each scoring their second try of the contest. Chapman then added a try of his own before McGreggor crossed the line for his second score of the afternoon, with Hayden Munce and Braven Peiler also adding scores to cap off Nichols' offense. However, Bryant eventually broke through for its lone try midway through the second half, spoiling the shutout bid for the Bison.
Chapman turned in a standout performance, accounting for 42 points and earning A-Side Man of the Match honors. In addition to scoring three tries and a penalty kick, Chapman was a perfect 12-for-12 on conversions. Garret Portesi added another successful conversion, giving Nichols a perfect 13-for-13 performance from the tee on the afternoon.
The Homecoming victory also showcased the strength of Nichols' young talent. Freshmen McGreggor, Peiler, and Johnstone each found the try zone for the A side, combining for four tries.
