USCGA flyhalf Ashley Palmieri against Bloomsburg /// Photo courtesy USCG Academy Women’s Rugby •
The Canterbury Player of the Week highlights the top performance from last weekend’s DII college fall playoffs. While three of the four semifinalists were the favorites to win their respective regions’ berths to Furman University on Dec. 3-4, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) knocked off two higher-ranked teams for its first-ever trip to the final four.
The Bears advanced to last year’s Round of 16, where it played Vassar to a 37-0 loss. The team banked that experience and went back to work, returning a good mix of veterans with a few years’ field time together and adding some brand new talent.
“We knew the team was special as they have a very unique bond and tight cohesiveness, which [have] been a huge part of their success,” USCGA assistant coach Lt. Caroline Gilmore praised. “They are easy to coach, quick to learn, and have fun playing, which has made for an exceptionally dynamic team.”
The Coast Guard went undefeated through eight rounds of the New England Wide season, and then defeated University of Maine-Orono 32-0 in the Round of 32. The New London, Ct., team traveled to Kutztown University (Pa.) last weekend and turned heads with a 48-22 Round of 16 victory over Bloomsburg, the third-place team at last year’s DII fall championship.
“We played teams with various strengths throughout the regular season, which helped us learn how to adapt to different playing styles as well as use our advantages against them,” Gilmore explained. “The women have never been complacent or taken any team for granted, which is a huge part of their success.”
The following day, USCGA faced St. Michael’s College, the Rugby Northeast champion with a healthy post-season past. The Vermont school embraced a hybrid fall, where it played the top tier of teams in its conference but sought competitive friendlies outside of the league – varsity Bowdoin, DI Boston University, among others.
The Coast Guard defeated St. Michael’s College 22-17 in its toughest game of the year, and the Bears’ 2-0 weekend meant one more weekend of play.
“It is hard to pinpoint one player as the leader because they truly play ‘15 as 1.’ Each girl brings a different, unique element that has made for an absolutely explosive team this season,” Gilmore considered Player of the Week nominations. “This past weekend Ashley Palmieri stands out as the MVP, as she took charge in leading the team against the toughest competition we have faced thus far. She kept the team even-keeled throughout the matches and helped fuel the women’s momentum. She absolutely knows how to take charge on the pitch and is the sturdy anchor through the ups and downs.”
The 2/c (junior) directed the games from flyhalf, and the captain is one of three Palmieris to wear the Bears’ rugby kit. Her two older brothers, now graduated, also played. Her leadership will buoy the Coast Guard as it prepares to face DII national champion Davenport University in the fall semifinals on Dec. 3. The Bears will then face either Vassar or Winona on Sunday.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be competing in the final four,” Gilmore enthused. “This is the farthest that Coast Guard Academy Women’s Rugby has ever made it, so we are honored to be making Academy history. Being the newcomers to [the fall championships] alongside three veteran teams is very exciting, and we are expecting and preparing for the fiercest competition yet.”
Coast Guard faces Winona State at 3 p.m. Eastern Saturday in the fall semifinals. Games will be live-streamed at The Rugby Channel.