Get to know: women’s rugby team holds slew of experienced players
2 min read
UMW Athletics | UMW
By VALERI GIBSON
The University of Mary Washington’s women’s rugby team kicked off their second] conference game Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, at the Battleground Complex against Longwood University. The team pulled through with a 66-0 win against the Lancers. Improving their record 1-1 in the Capital Area Conference.
The team consists of 29 members, according to the UMW Athletic website. Sophomore Shelby Sencindiver is one of the team’s fullbacks and the team’s secretary. It is her job as a fullback, to sweep behind the defense.
“[Rugby] was something new to try, unlike anything she did in high school,” Sencindiver said. She enjoys the “tight knit community” that she experiences with each practice, game and study session.
Freshman Emily Gaetjen is new to the team but not to the sport. She plays the position of prop. Her rugby experience started on a club team in her hometown when she was just a freshman in high school. Additionally, her whole family has been playing and following rugby for as long as she remembers. Despite her prior training the team considers her a rookie because she’s “new to the Mary Wash team” and appreciates how welcoming they all are.
Sophomore Temi Ogungbade plays forward for the team. She mentioned that she joined rugby to “join a tight knit community” here at UMW. Like many other players, she adds that she is part of the “rugby family” and she enjoys all of her teammates and the opportunity to “tackle the opposition and get cheered for because of it.”
Another sophomore, Logan Burum, is one of the team’s wings. She joined the team last year because she had friends that joined and wanted to delve into the rugby community at UMW. She really loves being part of a team “that is so passionate about the sport that it is contagious.”
The general consensus of the team is that the women’s team is “very welcoming” and they feel as if their fellow teammates are their second family.
The team plays home games at the Battleground Athletic Complex on the rugby field most Saturday mornings and afternoons.
