Editor's Note: This is the ninth in a 10-part series recapping the Top 10 sports moments of the 2011-12 year at Davenport University as compiled by the DU Sports Information Department. New moments will be revealed over the next few weeks. See the bottom of the page for links to all of the top-ten moments. If you would like to make any comments about the selections, please email athletics@davenport.edu.

May 19, 2012 - SANDY, Utah – The Davenport Rugby team has claimed its second consecutive national championship with a 39-0 win over San Diego State in the 2012 USA Rugby DI-AA final. The Panthers posted a 24-0 lead at halftime and never looked back finishing the season a perfect 11-0 against college teams. Jean Pierre Eloff was named Tournament MVP for the second straight year after leading the Panthers in scoring throughout the regional and Final 4 run.

In their second straight national championship appearance, the Panthers raced out to a quick lead and never let up the gas pedal.  Davenport struck first at 2:50 when Ryan Hargraves took one over the try line and the Panthers went up 5-0 after a missed conversion.

Davenport continued to dominate the play and Hargraves scored his second try on a nice run and with a Jean Pierre Eloff conversion, DU built their lead to 12-0.  The offense continued when Mason Baum grabbed a perfectly placed kick right on the try line for a 17-0 lead with just over 20 minutes to play in the opening half.

The final score of the half came when Joe Marino got just across the line at 24:08 and with the Eloff conversion, DU had itself a 24-0 lead at the break.

After a quiet start to the second half, DU got the momentum once again and upped their lead to 29-0 when Adam Riestook a ball across on a nice extension as the Panthers were also playing a man down. Lance Cavanaugh added five more points with a try at 65:48.

The final tally of the game came from Travis Kamstra at 78:50 as the Davenport defense finished with the shutout in a 39-0 win.

Jean Pierre Eloff was named the Tournament MVP for the second straight year.

The national title is the second straight one for Davenport as they captured the DI championship last season in Stanford, Calif with a 38-19 win over UC-Santa Barbara.  The Panthers did not lose to a college program throughout the entire 2011-12 campaign with their only two setbacks to semi-professional teams from Chicago.

#1 - Monday, July 30
#2 - Rugby Repeats as National Champions
#3 - D3 Hockey Makes Run to ACHA National Title Game
#4 - Jason Cogswell Earns All-American Honors on Final Throw of Career
#5 - Stephanie Fortney's 10-8 Tie-Breaker Win Hands DU WHAC Title
#6 - Drew Sain and Karlee Despres Post No-Hitters
#7 - Lonnie Fairfax Posts 18 Assists in WHAC Tournament Win
#8 - Karlee Despres Breaks Single Game Record with 43 Points
#9 - Volleyball Sweeps WHAC and NAIA Power Madonna
#10 - Baseball Re-Writes Record Books in 31-7 Romp of Alma