Rugby to compete at Nationals

By REGINA WEISS

The University of Mary Washington women’s rugby team will soon cap off a highly successful 2013-2014 season by competing in the USA Rugby National Championship at Penn State University on April 26 and 27.
The Eagles received an automatic bid to nationals after their Division II Women’s Capital Collegiate Rugby Conference win in November. Under the leadership of coaches Kris Kabza and Bill Lucas, this marks the team’s eighth appearance at the event, more than any other Division II women’s rugby team in the country.
UMW will enter the Round of 16 at the national championships, with a chance to advance to the Round of 4 at Stanford University in May. At Penn State, UMW will face the Kent State University on Saturday, April 26 and Appalachian State or American University on Sunday, April 27.
The team has a long history of success before the recent establishment of the Capital Conference. Between 1998 and 2012, UMW finished in first place 13 times and finished second twice in the Virginia Rugby Union Division II league. From 1998 to 2010, UMW won five championships in the Mid-Atlantic Territorial Championships. Only one other team comes close with four wins.