GRR: Women
Although only a sophomore, Danielle Ordway is a familiar name on campus. For the third time in her short career, Davenport University has named Ordway as the Female Athlete of the Week. Chosen by the athletic director and media department, the Lowell, Mich., native is the only rugby player who has received this honor.
The Penn State vs. Norwich women’s game last weekend was replete with highlight-reel action, so it’s no surprise that the Aircraft Charter Solutions Women’s College Player of the Week came out of that bout. Penn State prop Beth Rose stood out among the field, and for the reasons one might not expect.
When the Quinnipiac Women traveled to Marietta, Ga., for its season-opener against Life University, the 34-19 win proved difficult to interpret. The Running Eagles are newly varsity and the late August match was an early fixture. But the Bobcats’ strength came into focus last Saturday, when it defeated traditional DI power Army 50-17.
The Lindenwood University women's team is in the mist of the change. The DI program is NOT moving to DII (contrary to a previous report) but has welcomed a new full-time coach – Billy Nicholas from the Bronx – who only accepted the position two weeks ago. The Missouri side has good infrastructure, however, and Director of Rugby JD Stephenson has been leading the transition.
The Penn State vs. Norwich friendly was highly touted, and the two best women’s DI colleges came through with a thriller. The first half was contested in Norwich’s end and yielded a 19-5 halftime lead for Penn State. The Cadets rallied like no other and eventually overtook the reigning USA Rugby champion 27-24.