Madalyn Godfrey/Fourth Estate
A look into the Women’s Rugby Club season and what to expect for next semester
BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, STAFF WRITER
Mason Women’s Rugby Club team ended their fall season as champions in the conference tournament. The tournament win, contrasted with their second-place finish just a year ago, was a moment of culmination for a team that has become a tight-knit group of about 16 active players on and off the field.
Founded in 2008, the Mason Women’s Rugby Club team was made for a purpose far beyond the sport.
“We have, not only just a community for those interested but also a pathway towards growth… No one who enters the team is the same person after they leave.” President Fabi Rosales said. “Usually, they’re much better, have more confidence…. We’re not going to leave you hanging. We have a place for you.”.
Team Captain Meana Jacobs also spoke about the sense of community she found on the team when she transferred from Loyola University Chicago. Despite being exposed to other sports before discovering rugby, Jacobs mentioned that the physicality and the camaraderie that came with the sport drew her to playing.
Looking toward the spring season, starting the first Monday of the spring semester, the team is ready to make noise as conference champions. “It establishes us as a threat,” Rosales said about what the conference championship means for the upcoming season.
With increased recognition comes higher expectations, and the proud president emphasized that sentiment.
“When we started picking the team back up, we were doing it for fun,” Rosales said. “But now, we’re ready to take this team to the next level and we’re ready to be competitive… the conference championship solidified where we want to go from here.”
While the team grows in membership and stature, a core aspect of the club resides in inclusivity. “We have a place for you…,” Rosales said. “Every person is a rugby player.”
Rugby here at Mason is filled with competitive and driven women. Since rebuilding the team after the COVID-19 pandemic, this community has grown more with each practice and match.
For anyone interested in joining the club, you can send an email to the team (masonwomensrugbyclub@gmail.com) or simply show up to practice! Dates can be found on the Mason 360 app or website.