Hawkeyes Remain Hot
Hawkeyes Remain Hot
Hawkeyes stave off heat, maintain perfect record, defeating UNI, 50–19.
October 4, 2025
by Peter Heimer
“Great crowd and atmosphere. Good win over a strong Panthers team.” Iowa head coach Tyler Dailey
Unseasonably warm 85° temperatures did little to slow down the University of Iowa men’s rugby team as it scored eight tries enroute to a 50–19 victory over the visiting Panthers of the University of Northern Iowa at the Hawkeye Rugby Fields, Saturday, October 4, 2025. UNI came into the match as the 4th ranked team in the country in Division 2. Iowa was ranked #4 nationally in D1AA. The victory keeps the Hawkeye season perfect with the team’s fifth victory against no losses.
The match was played as four 20-minute periods to allow for water breaks. A fifth 20-minute period was played for B-team players, ending scoreless.
Iowa reached the half-century mark in scoring for the fourth match in a row. The Hawkeyes scored eight tries on the day, two by captain Ren Heimer, and one each by #8 Hudson Vreogh, wing Austin Stanley, wing AJ Douglas, center Jack Tomkins, Clay Brown, and freshman Caden Wetherell. Tomkins, Wetherell, and Brown all came off the bench to score, showcasing the team’s depth. Heimer added five conversions.
As they have all season, the forwards, led by vice-captain Sam Zimmerman and Jake D’Aniello controlled the ball well. Vreogh was a force with the ball in hand, often breaking the Panther defensive line for easier rucks and ball retention. Josh Bell, sophomore hooker, could often be found out wide and when he caught the ball on the run he was a wrecking ball, carrying would-be tacklers an extra ten meters. Fullback Easton Taylor displayed good hands in passing and gathering up UNI kicks.
Head coach Tyler Dailey commented, “Offense wins games, defense wins championships. For long stretches our defense was solid, making tackle after tackle. We need to tighten up our ball control among the backs; too many uncontrolled passes in traffic. We are learning every match and getting better and better.”
The largest crowd of the season was on hand to watch the match, with many UNI fans present and a boisterous contingent of former Hawkeye players – young and old, mostly old – in town as part of a special “Stella Is Calling You Home” team homecoming, which included an evening dinner and fundraiser. A proverbial good time was had by all.
Next up: The Hawkeyes have a bye week before hosting a very strong Wayne State (Nebraska) team on October 18 in a key Heart of America conference matchup.
