Bold claim: St. Bonaventure didn’t just win; they demolished the field and asserted their dominance on the national stage. And this is precisely why you should care about the 2025 NCR final. In Houston on Saturday, the Bonnies overwhelmed Queens University 55-19 to secure their second men’s NCR title, nearly sealing the deal well before the final whistle. This performance marked a clear contrast to the narrow 19-18 breakthrough win over Penn State in 2021, showing a program that has evolved into a consistent championship contender.
St. Bonaventure has been to the national title game three times in the past five seasons, with a prior setback against Notre Dame College in 2023. Coach Danny Neighbour hailed the moment as the payoff for years of effort across the entire program. He emphasized the importance of the coaching staff, the trainers, and the broader Bona community back home, noting that the triumph was the result of a true collective effort rather than the work of a single group.
The Bonnies entered the final with only one regular-season ARC loss, to Queens, which ironically had tipped the balance against them in that league title game. They surged to a 24-7 halftime lead and never looked back, dominating the second half and never allowing Queens back into the contest.
That ARC title-game loss forced SBU into a play-in to reach the NCR tournament, an experience Neighbour described as a wake-up call that sharpened their focus on what needed to improve. Since that halftime moment against Queens, Bonaventure’s defense tightened dramatically, and they coupled that with a precise kicking game and strong territorial control.
In the postseason, the Bonnies continued to roll: a 44-17 win over Southern Nazarene in the play-in, a 51-7 rematch victory over defending champion Brown in the quarterfinals, and a 33-8 win against Walsh in the semifinal prior to the final. Tournament MVP Troy Heroldt, a South African scrum-half, added three tries, including a sensational 40-yard weaving run just before halftime that broke Queens’ resolve after they had trimmed the gap to 17-7.
Heroldt was quick to deflect individual praise, creditting his teammates for the success. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group to be out there with tonight. They were amazing,” he said. “We’re not stopping here. We aim to defend this title next year.”
The Bonnies struck early, with Reynard Boshoff crossing for a try at five minutes and Noah Edwards adding the first of seven conversions. Edwards also kicked a penalty ten minutes later to push the lead to 10-0, a margin Queens would never reclaim. Five minutes later, Tanya Takaendisa extended the advantage to 17-0 after a lineout near the try line, a moment sparked by a remarkable 70-yard clearing kick from Manu Taula that bounced into the in-goal area.
After halftime, Eddie Nelson sprinted 50 yards for a score, followed by Heroldt’s two more tries. Mike Sears finished the scoring with a late try, and Edwards added a penalty to reach 20 points in the match. Edwards reflected on the achievement, thanking coach Neighbour and the entire staff for building a program that includes about 70 athletes. He noted that this title belongs to everyone in the Bona rugby community, not just the 25 players who traveled for the final.
Neighbour highlighted the depth of the program, praising the JV squad for pushing the varsity every practice. He attributed the team’s postseason success to the rigorous training that keeps every game feeling manageable, thanks in large part to that broader, deeper bench.
About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure emphasizes transforming students’ lives inside and outside the classroom, committing to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. Among 167 regional universities in the North, U.S. News & World Report (2025) ranked St. Bonaventure #8 for value and #19 overall.
