Army West Point Athletics
Men’s Rugby Garners Four Spots on CRAA D1A All-American Teams
June 02, 2026 | Men's Rugby
COLUSA, Calif. – Army West Point men's rugby had four players named to the CRAA D1A All-American First or Second Teams.
Liam Walsh and George Engels were each named to the First Team and Matt Leslie and Andrew Bardak were each Second Team honorees.
Walsh, a sophomore from Walnut Creek, Calif., played in all 14 games with nine starts and a try at St. Thomas on February 28.
Engels—a Rudy Scholz Award nominee in 2025-26—made 10 starts and 11 total appearances, finishing the season with 15 points across a trio of tries.
Leslie started in 12 games across this season, finishing fifth on the team in tries. Meanwhile, Bardak made 11 starts and scored 20 points in 2025-26.
The Black Knights finished the season 10-4 overall, including a 4-2 mark in Rugby East Conference matches. Army won five straight fixtures from September 27 to November 7, including a 52-7 win over academy rival Air Force on October 31. The program also made the CRAA D1A quarterfinals for the second straight season.
Follow the Black Knights
Follow Army Men's Rugby on X @ArmyWP_MRugby and on Instagram @armywp_rugby. Fans can also like Army West Point Athletics on Facebook and learn more about men's rugby and other programs at goarmywestpoint.com.
Liam Walsh and George Engels were each named to the First Team and Matt Leslie and Andrew Bardak were each Second Team honorees.
Walsh, a sophomore from Walnut Creek, Calif., played in all 14 games with nine starts and a try at St. Thomas on February 28.
Engels—a Rudy Scholz Award nominee in 2025-26—made 10 starts and 11 total appearances, finishing the season with 15 points across a trio of tries.
Leslie started in 12 games across this season, finishing fifth on the team in tries. Meanwhile, Bardak made 11 starts and scored 20 points in 2025-26.
The Black Knights finished the season 10-4 overall, including a 4-2 mark in Rugby East Conference matches. Army won five straight fixtures from September 27 to November 7, including a 52-7 win over academy rival Air Force on October 31. The program also made the CRAA D1A quarterfinals for the second straight season.
Follow the Black Knights
Follow Army Men's Rugby on X @ArmyWP_MRugby and on Instagram @armywp_rugby. Fans can also like Army West Point Athletics on Facebook and learn more about men's rugby and other programs at goarmywestpoint.com.
Players Mentioned
Hooker
/ Men's Rugby
Lock
/ Men's Rugby
Center/Wing
/ Men's Rugby
Lock
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