< an undefeated season and victories at both the Final Four Playoffs and the Western Regional, the Women’s Rubgy team heads to the National Tournament next week, where they will face the New England Regional Champion.
After a first-place finish in the Division III league, the rugby team headed to the Final Four Playoffs in St. Cloud, defeating the University of Minnesota-Moorehead, 31-0 on the first day. The following day, they beat previously-undefeated Bemidji State 17-0, qualifying for Regionals, as well as for the Division II level next season.
Following the win, the squad headed to the Western Regional in Wayne, Nebraska this past weekend. On Saturday, they defeated Augustana (from Sioux Falls), 58-0; the following day, they played Wayne State, the top team from the Great Plains region. Although the game was chippy, Carleton managed to come away with a win, scoring six tries to defeat Wayne, 37-7. As a result of the victory, the rugby team heads to Cherry Hill, New Jersey for the Division II National Championships on November 19 and 20.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for our team,” said president Grace Ogilby. “I am so proud of all of our players who have worked unbelievably hard to get this far. They are extraordinarily talented, strong and hard-working girls who play their hearts out in every game.”
The team also carried a very young squad this year, with sixteen returning players, and nineteen newcomers. The team is also very physically small, making their accomplishments all the more impressive. “Our scrums are often outweighed by several hundred pounds,” said Ogilby. “We are definitely one of the smallest Division III teams in the Midwest.”
However, what the team lacks in size, they make up for in hard work. “This is one of the most supportive and hard-working teams I have ever been a part of,” said Backs Captain Robin Burrell. Match Secretary and Publicist Sara Harrison agrees that the team spirit and attitude has played an important role in the season. “I don’t think you’ve ever seen a group of girls so excited to go to first Nebraska and then New Jersey,” she said.
For now, the team hopes to continue their success in New Jersey in the coming week. “I know I speak for all of us,” said Ogilby, “when I say how excited we are to represent Carleton at Nationals!”