BYU Women’s Rugby Wins First National Championship
May 4, 2019, 2:11 PM
BYU women's rugby Twitter
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The BYU women’s rugby team clinched its first national championship with a 48-0 blanking of Virginia Tech.
The program, which is a club sport that has earned extramural status with BYU, had come close before to winning a national title, but had never done it in its 19-year history until Saturday.
“You just finished the script of the jersey you’re wearing. You will tell this story to your kids and to your grandkids,” said head coach Tom Waqa to his team after the game.
According to their website, the team was founded for the 1999-2000 season by co-founders Shane and John Seggar as activity for full time BYU students. Until they received official recognition from the university in 2015, they were known as the Women’s Cougar Rugby Club.
Celebrations everywhere pic.twitter.com/CXqXwgcT8F
— BYU Women's Rugby (@BYUWomensRugby) May 4, 2019
The program began with high interest from BYU co-eds. Back in February 2000, Julia Hobbs, a sophomore at BYU, put up fliers on campus asking girls interested in playing to give her a call. According to Hobbs, over 100 girls called. The team ended up with just 12 players, but the foundation was set.
The team has had a long run of success, especially at home where they hold a 152-4 all-time record. They’ve also finished second nationally in 2016 and third in 2017 before tasting victory for the first time in 2019.
