Rugby wraps up fall season, prepares for spring
The women’s rugby team ended its fall season with a 2-1 record at the Las Vegas tournament. The Lady Aggies played the Las Vegas Slots for the second time this season and tied
5-5.
How did they break the tie?
A hand of blackjack, which allowed the Aggies to win 20-18.
The rugby team ended its fall season with an 11-5 record. The ladies have two seasons, fall and spring. The Aggies also got the chance to play the University of Las Vegas and the University of California San Diego.
Head Coach Patti Kohler said they were happy to get the chance to play teams they never play. UCSD was ranked fourth in the nation for woman’s collegiate rugby.
“We were happy to hold our own against them, despite the score,” she said.
Kohler has been the head coach for about two years. The team was started in the spring of 1996, and Kohler was one of the founding members.
She said that they had to do a lot of recruiting and fundraising to get their first set of jerseys. Her husband, Dennis, was the first head coach, and he is now the assistant coach.
“Our first season we didn’t win a game, but within a little over a year, we had an undefeated season, the fall of 1998,” she said. “From there the team has grown to the strong core of women today.”
The team is in the Utah Rugby Union which is part of the Pacific Coast Union which is part of the national organization, USA Rugby. And this year, two of the team’s players have been asked to join with a higher-level team.
Brooke Lambert tried out for the Pacific Coast Grizzly Shield and made it. Only a select 24 players make the team, and only one other USU player has made the Grizzly Shield.
Dennis said, it’s “quite an achievement.”
From there, Lambert has the chance to climb up the ladder and eventually play for the national team, the USA Women’s Eagles.
“I am very excited to play for the Grizzlies,” Lambert said. “Rugby is a sport that I hope to play forever.”
She also hopes to learn a lot from playing in upper-division rugby.
Lissa Woolf, another player, was invited to try out for the National Under-19 women’s team. This is a first in the club’s history.
Woolf will go to camp after Christmas.
So what do they do in the winter? Hibernate? Play a different sport?
No.
They practice. And not in vain, they’re preparing for their spring season.
And their first season game is the Valentine’s Day Massacre, otherwise called the Bloodletting.
The women’s rugby team ended its fall season with a 2-1 record at the Las Vegas tournament. The Lady Aggies played the Las Vegas Slots for the second time this season and tied
5-5.
How did they break the tie?
A hand of blackjack, which allowed the Aggies to win 20-18.
The rugby team ended its fall season with an 11-5 record. The ladies have two seasons, fall and spring. The Aggies also got the chance to play the University of Las Vegas and the University of California San Diego.
Head Coach Patti Kohler said they were happy to get the chance to play teams they never play. UCSD was ranked fourth in the nation for woman’s collegiate rugby.
“We were happy to hold our own against them, despite the score,” she said.
Kohler has been the head coach for about two years. The team was started in the spring of 1996, and Kohler was one of the founding members.
She said that they had to do a lot of recruiting and fundraising to get their first set of jerseys. Her husband, Dennis, was the first head coach, and he is now the assistant coach.
“Our first season we didn’t win a game, but within a little over a year, we had an undefeated season, the fall of 1998,” she said. “From there the team has grown to the strong core of women today.”
The team is in the Utah Rugby Union which is part of the Pacific Coast Union which is part of the national organization, USA Rugby. And this year, two of the team’s players have been asked to join with a higher-level team.
Brooke Lambert tried out for the Pacific Coast Grizzly Shield and made it. Only a select 24 players make the team, and only one other USU player has made the Grizzly Shield.
Dennis said, it’s “quite an achievement.”
From there, Lambert has the chance to climb up the ladder and eventually play for the national team, the USA Women’s Eagles.
“I am very excited to play for the Grizzlies,” Lambert said. “Rugby is a sport that I hope to play forever.”
She also hopes to learn a lot from playing in upper-division rugby.
Lissa Woolf, another player, was invited to try out for the National Under-19 women’s team. This is a first in the club’s history.
Woolf will go to camp after Christmas.
So what do they do in the winter? Hibernate? Play a different sport?
No.
They practice. And not in vain, they’re preparing for their spring season.
And their first season game is the Valentine’s Day Massacre, otherwise called the Bloodletting.
Patti said she is excited for the upcoming season and new players are always welcome at anytime during the year.
-vramirez@cc.usu.edu