College Women
The National Collegiate Varsity Women’s Rugby Association (NCVWRA) voted a national championship into existence this fall. A five-person tournament committee composed of three athletic department administrators and two varsity coaches will name and seed the top eight varsity programs. The quarterfinals will occur on Nov. 14, and the higher-ranked team will host.
There are many familiar notes in Bloomsburg’s recent past. The program wanted to be more competitive, so it hired a tested coach, Kevin Castner from East Stroudsburg University. He injected structure and discipline, and while there was some resistance, the players subscribed to this success-driven culture. The affect was realized on the pitch, and Bloomsburg started winning.
In the Big Ten, it’s Penn State and everyone else, but that race for second-best is always a good one. Indiana has been the traditional runner-up, but after a couple big losses during the friendly season, the competition for #2 might be closer than years previous.
There’s reason to be excited in the Rugby Northeast (RNE). The conference has seen some movement this fall season, and so far, it’s all been for the better. Three teams aligned with NSCRO but are still playing RNE conference schedules, and another two programs have been added to the lineup, and they’re ticking up the competition.
Central Washington launched into action last weekend, traveling to ORSU for an extended friendly. The Oregon side fielded a mixed squad – one with DII club and Women’s Premier League players – but it was the visitors who put the right combination on the field. The Wildcats won the 80-minute match 55-10, and then followed with a 17-3 victory during the third period.