After a couple of years of low activity, the Guilford College women’s rugby team received the jolt it needed in 2019: the sport was added to the athletics department as a varsity program. In spring 2020, the college announced that the Quakers had committed to Division III of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA), the country’s NCAA varsity league. This season was important for building some momentum and visibility into the fall season, and then the coronavirus hit.
Freshmen comprise the majority of the team, but graduating senior Mariame Meite missed out on the one opportunity to compete as a varsity student-athlete. The Greensboro, N.C., native came to Guilford College in 2016 and was looking for something to replace her number-one sport, competitive cheer, which the school did not offer at the time.
“Initially I was drawn by how enthusiastic and inviting everyone was,” Meite said of first impressions during the activity fair. “So I signed up but thought, ‘I’m probably not even going to do this. I’m a cheerleader; I can’t do this.’ But then I told my parents about it, and my dad and my brothers were like, ‘You can’t do that.’ Everyone said, ‘That’s just not you.’ So in order to prove them wrong I went to the practices, and that’s honestly how I got into rugby.”
But it only took that first practice for Meite’s motive to play rugby to change.
“I just realized how beautiful the sport was,” Meite said. “We did some passing drills and then a game of touch with the veterans who had been around previously, and once I saw everything play out and that that was what I was working toward, that’s when it wasn’t about proving anyone wrong anymore. ‘This is something I genuinely want to do.’”
Meite played freshman year, had some fun learning moments – like running the wrong way with the ball during a game – and was hooked.
“From there, sophomore year the club wasn’t as prominent as it was the year before so we really only did practices,” Meite said. “Then junior year I kind of fell off because there were other opportunities I had, and the club wasn’t playing games. It was mainly just practices.”
Guilford started the process of adding a cheer team and Meite got involved with that movement. Nevertheless, she continued to promote the rugby team during sophomore and junior years, wore the kit for publicity and directed recruits to the current admin. But then in summer 2019, she got the e-mail that women’s rugby was going varsity.
“I was really excited. I thought, ‘This is my time to shine. It’s my senior year and I can play this sport that a lot of people think women don’t play here in the U.S.,’” Meite said. “The team is mostly freshmen and I was the only senior so I felt it was my job to get them as passionate for the sport as I was – the way I was recruited. I wanted them to feel the same way since I wouldn’t be there in a year.”
Emily Record joined Guilford College in summer 2019, so the head coach didn’t know Meite as a freshman rugby player, but quickly became a fan and named the senior a captain.
“Mariame has got the combined personality and toughness of a cheerleader and rugby player,” Record praised the senior, who was a base throughout high school. “That combo makes her a great peer leader both on the field and off, always with a positive way of encouraging people, and not letting obstacles get in her way.
“Like most leaders Mariame is involved all over campus, and came to rugby while she already was co-treasurer of the Guilford Student Body, president of the Define American Club, and a Resident Advisor, in addition to mentoring youth through the Guilford STEM program,” the coach marveled. “While juggling all of those things, she also became a leader of the rugby team, checking in on players when they needed it, and leading by example in terms of effort and focus at practice.”
Record didn’t schedule any fixtures in the fall, as the numbers situation was unknown, but then penciled in two 7s tournaments for the spring. Meite lauded her teammates’ commitment to 7:15 a.m. lifting sessions, practice attendance, and engagement in team meetings as they readied for the spring outings.
“Emilee Bunn, she is such a force, and Reilly Flye – they’re both so athletic and I just feel like they embody rugby,” Meite pointed to players-to-watch. “The way they commit to the team and push themselves is just beautiful to me. I love it.”
On March 12, USA Rugby suspended all rugby activities for a month, and then on March 20 updated the time period to “indefinitely.”
“Everyone feels robbed,” Meite said of a season cut short. “We’re all pretty sad that we don’t get to practice with each other anymore, but we have a group chat, team meetings on Zoom, and team challenges around working out but that are also fun. So we’re being proactive about the fall whether we’ll be here or not.
“It’s been really disheartening for me because this virus has taken away my last chance to play a game senior year,’ the captain added. “Everyone else will have the chance to redeem themselves in the fall, and they’re pretty hungry for the competition.”
Even though Meite won’t be wearing a Quakers uniform in the fall, she’s still invested in the team’s debut in NIRA and future success.
“I want the team to persevere and know that it’s strong no matter what,” Meite said of leaving a legacy. “There are a lot of changes happening but I just wanted to make sure that the team is bonding and forming a strong foundation, and that they know that working together and communicating outside of practice is vital to being a good team on the field.”
“I wish that I had more time with Mariame, and am happy that she may stay in Greensboro next year and will be around to support us as we continue to grow,” Record added.
Meite wants to be a dentist and is currently researching dental assistant programs. She’s going to keep training in hopes of one day joining a local team, like Triad, for some senior club rugby.
“Everyone’s been really supportive during this transition time,” Meite closed. “Coach Emily has reached out to make sure I’m OK because my senior year did get cut short – not just rugby wise – so it’s nice to have that support from the team and coaches. I just really love the team and I’m excited for them to be able to play and show off their skills and let Guilford know that they made the right choice by making this a varsity sport.”
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