GRR: Women DI College
Here’s a spoiler: Penn State is going to win our 2015 Women’s College of the Year. The women celebrated arguably the most successful month of college rugby ever, winning national titles in 15s and 7s, followed by a CRC trophy, during the course of three weeks in May.
While Penn State celebrates arguably the most successful month that any college team has ever experienced, the teams in its wake are brainstorming paths to similar heights. Lindenwood is in the midst of an aggressive overhaul, one that began with first-year head coach Billy Nicholas, continued with a dedicated group of players, and is being realized through 7s.
Although the height of the women’s college 7s season has come and gone, the CRC 7s cannot be overlooked. It’s a high-profile event for the men, and the 12-team women’s division will share in a fraction of that exposure. Pool play will be contested tomorrow, the Cup semifinals Saturday, and the final Sunday.
Despite Penn State's legacy of dominance in Division I, a national 7s championship has eluded the women's team since the competition's creation. That changed on Sunday, when the Nittany Lions defeated Central Washington 47-26 in the 7s title bout, becoming the first women's team to be both DI 15s and 7s national champion in the same year.
Until the final play of the game, it appeared that Virginia Women’s Rugby (UVA) had orchestrated an impressive upset over Central Washington during the Women's College 7s Championship semifinals. But the Wildcats used their final play of the game to tie it up, and then the ever-dependable Cassidy Meyers converted her try for the 12-10 win.