Central Washington University Athletics

ELLENSBURG, Wash.- The No. 2 ranked Central Washington University women's rugby team will hit the road this week as they travel East for a pair of National Intercollegiate Rugby Association matches. The Wildcats will face No. 5 United States Military Academy on Friday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. EST at the Anderson Rugby Complex in West Point, N.Y. CWU will then travel to Hamden, Conn. to battle Quinnipiac University on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. at the Quinnipiac Rugby Field.
 
"This weekend will be a true test of our depth and tenacity," CWU interim head coach Trevor Richards explained. "Army is always a well-conditioned and disciplined side. Keeping our composure under pressure will be key. Then we have a day to win the recovery battle and get ready to play our familiar foe; Quinnipiac. No doubt they will be coming at us even harder than they did a couple of weeks ago. We will have to brace ourselves for a very physical match. Obviously, our goal is to win both games but equally as important, I will be thrilled if we can return without any significant injuries. We are entering the last month of the season and this week will be huge in building momentum going into playoffs."
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Army
The Black Knights enter Friday's contest against Central Washington with a 2-4-1 overall record and are 2-3-1 in NIRA play. Army has dropped their previous two matches against Lindenwood (5-90) and Quinnipiac University (5-62). Freshman Eleanor Burnett posted the Black Knight's only try of the game against the Bobcats. Army finished as Semi-finalists in the 2016 NIRA 15s Championships and are led by sophomore Bayleigh Gable and senior Rebecca Stipp. The Black Knights are coached by Bill LeClerc in his fifth year at the helm.
 
Quinnipiac
The Bobcats recently picked up its sixth straight win in the series with Army, including two meetings this season. Quinnipiac defeated the Black Knights on opening day in Hamden 42-22 and then again last week in New York, 62-5. The Bobcats are currently 5-2 overall and 4-2 in NIRA play. The Wildcats handed QU just their fifth loss in the past three years earlier this season at the Wildcat Rugby Pitch, 31-22. Quinnipiac's senior Flora Poole tallied a try off of a 100-yards run up the left side in the match against CWU. Defensively, the Bobcats are led by senior Jessica Maricich, who recently became Quinnipiac's all-time leading tackler. The Wildcats are 4-0 all-time against Quinnipiac in the regular season, but fell to the Bobcats, 46-24, in the NIRA National Championship last season.
 
CWU LEADERS
The Wildcats are 2-2 on the season and 1-0 in NIRA play. Sophomore All-American fullback Suiluana A'au has scored seven tries this season to lead the Wildcat attack and has scored at least once in every match this season. Central currently has six All-Americans on their roster including: A'au, Jenny Johnson, Michel Navarro, Leah Ingold, Joanna Moreira, and Yana Manoa.
 
 
POLL TALK
The NIRA released their fourth public coaches poll of the 2017 season with the Wildcats comin in at second overall. Dartmouth topped the poll after collecting five first-place votes, followed by the Wildcats with two. Quinnipiac earned the remaining three first-place votes of the week.
 
The NIRA consists of 16 NCAA-sponsored schools with varsity rugby programs across three divisions. As collegiate programs around the country improve on the field as well as off of it, earning more and more support from their respective institutions, NIRA is dedicated to assisting said programs transition to NCAA status. The Complete NIRA Coaches' Poll can be found below:
 
1. Dartmouth College (5)
2. Central Washington University (2)
3. Quinnipiac University (3)
4. Harvard University
5. Army at West Point
6. American International College
7. Norwich University
8. Notre Dame College
9. Brown University
10. West Chester University
11. University of New England
12. Bowdoin College
13. Sacred Heart University
14. Molloy College
15. Mount St. Mary's University
16. LIU, Post
17. Castleton University
 
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