Tears were shed as the referee called the Tri-State Small College Championship game to an end. The Siena Women’s Rugby team walked off the pitch feeling emotional, exhausted, and with an unprecedented title: 2023 Tri-State Conference Small College Champions. For the Women’s Rugby team, this year was a monumental milestone as the team was inducted into the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) small college bracket and made it the furthest ever in regular conference history by securing a spot in the NCR East Regional playoffs for a shot at fifteens nationals. For veteran players who have been dedicated to Siena Rugby before its transition to NCR, this victory was especially memorable. Senior captain Brenna Knibbs ‘24 captures the feelings of many graduating players: “as a senior, winning the Tri-State Championship is the most incredible feeling. It is a title for us that really shows how much we have put into this team. I joined this team three years ago, and it is amazing to see how all of our work has paid off. We are the first ever women’s rugby team in Siena College history to earn that title. Winning this championship was gratifying, but more importantly, it shows that this team, even after I have graduated, is going to make great strides in rugby.”
Photo Credits by Siena Women’s Rugby
Over this season, critical improvements were made to elevate the team’s performance to the next level of collegiate rugby. Siena Rugby Coordinator and head coach for Siena Women’s Rugby Greg Matthew focused on refining fundamental skill sets to establish a strong foundation for “progression at a natural pace towards a more advanced style of playing” that complemented the players and team’s raw talents. Coach Matthew strived to build confidence in each player, instill an instinctive understanding of game dynamics, and ultimately empower the team to dominate rather than react to gameplay. Coach Matthew’s philosophies greatly contributed to the players’ feeling a new second nature for rugby during the championship match. Junior and speaking captain Isabella Angelo ‘25 highlighted that “confidence, especially in tackling and making runs, was a key factor in performance. Along with staying focused on ourselves instead of our opponents, communication was a big factor in completing plays as well as switching from an offensive line to a defensive line. We have grown in numbers significantly more than previous years, and hopefully the addition of confident, knowledgeable players who fit the team vision continues on with recruits in the upcoming years.” Captain Knibbs also credits a large part of the team’s success to the family-like culture among players. “I am most proud of the attitude of this team. This past season, I’ve seen my teammates become more like family each and every practice. We are all always looking to improve ourselves and more than willing to help each other become better. We are more of a family than just a team,” highlighted Knibbs.
Photo Credits by Siena Women’s Rugby
Trailblazing the path towards NCR nationals, the Siena Women’s Rugby team is deeply appreciative of the many individuals who have had a hand in the program’s development and the support the Siena College community has provided. On behalf of the team, senior and President Mairead O’Donnell ‘24 expressed her profound gratitude:
We have trained tirelessly to improve our position-specific skills, trained in strength and conditioning specific to the sport, and integrated film sessions using critiques from ourselves and our coaches to improve even more. It’s incredible how much heart and dedication we get from these girls who pour everything they have into this sport. We have some pretty tough competitors coming up, but so are we. This program has shown me that it is full of players who don’t ask “Why me?” But rather “Why not me?”
This attitude is something that could not have happened without the endless support of the Siena College community. This supportive community is most notably led by the Siena Rugby Alumni, both men’s and women’s. This team has jumped from club to an athletics transition and handled it with a steadfast attitude. The people who loved this program so much, never truly leave anything behind, besides maybe a handful of injuries, sore muscles, and a plethora of bruises. These individuals include but are certainly not limited to Leah Bogdanowicz ’11, Chelsea Belmonte ’11, and Tom Thornton ‘84. We are even lucky enough to have Kevin Murphy ’93 to coach us during practice to increase our intensity and polish our basic skills.
Rugby Coordinator Greg Matthew had no problem stepping in to help our team succeed, which I’m sure seemed like a daunting task. He has invested so much time and effort into this team in the background, but stepped in to help us directly on the field, which I’m sure you can see has led to success as we we just earned the title of the 2023 Tri-State Conference Small College Champions and continue to move onto the top 16 in regionals towards the small college national championship, a feat that we all remember the men’s team reaching and completing in the fall of 2021. We are fortunate enough to train off the pitch in the varsity weight room with Strength Coach Julianne “JC” Corcoran, who has been nothing but positive and motivating in our journey.
Our collaboration with the men’s team is ever-growing in a positive light. We have been increasing our knowledge and skills of the game under the guise of Benjamin Burridge ‘25, Andrew McCallum ‘25, and Timothy McCaffrey’26 of the men’s team. Just as the sport of rugby itself is one where each field position is crucial to the success of the team, the same applies to each person’s role in helping us succeed as a team. From the coaches who help us directly on the field, to the people behind the scenes, to the people who simply sit on the hill and cheer for us, every form of support is a push that we use as our momentum, so thank you very much.
The team finished third in NCR East Regionals after beating Keene State 34 – 10, and looks forward to further development in game dynamics and confidence in the upcoming spring sevens season.