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Off to Nationals!

The OWU women’s rugby team is celebrating an undefeated season and heading to New York for a national tournament. (Photo by Spenser Hickey ’15)

Undefeated OWU Women’s Rugby Team Headed to New York

After a 9-0 undefeated semester, the Ohio Wesleyan Women’s Rugby team is headed to the U.S Military Academy in West Point, New York, to take on the top women’s rugby teams in the nation.

The “Ladies in Red” will take the field May 2 against Wayne State College of Wayne, Nebraska. The match is set to begin at 3:20 p.m. ET and will be streamed live online.

The OWU team has spent the semester playing against Baldwin Wallace University, Oberlin College, and Tiffin University in the Great Lakes Region of the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO).

The team credits its undefeated semester, in part, to the recent addition of a new coaching staff. Both John English, director of OWU Rugby, and Josh Longenbaker, women’s head coach, have worked hard to help the women’s team improve its fundamental skills and love for the game.

In addition, the men’s and women’s teams work hard together on and off the field. This year, the men went 10-5 and just fell short at a chance for a national title. The men are led by head coach Cody Albright.

Follow Ohio Wesleyan Club Rugby on Facebook at www.facebook.com/owurugby.

The National Small College Rugby Organization was formed in 2007 to organize the Division III and Division IV college rugby national playoff system. Currently, more than 210 men’s and over 80 women’s teams participate in local “unions” and “conferences” as they seek the NSCRO Small College National Championship. Learn more about the NSCRO at www.nscro.org.