The U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) is an independent Division I program that contests its 15s season in the fall and relies on an at-large berth to compete in the playoffs. Last Saturday’s win over Virginia Women’s Rugby (UVA) provided a first look at this year’s squad, which has a new head coach in Murph McCarthy.
McCarthy had served on the USNA men’s team coaching staff since 2011, and was charged with duties that ranged from developing incoming freshmen, to traveling with the top side to California to face Cal, to handling merchandise and serving as the officer representative. He continued to coach after retirement and linked up with the women’s team in spring 2019.
“Lt. Kris Moore had been running the [women’s team] operations and I’d see him out there at training – all these stations, cones everywhere – with 40 girls, which was awesome to see. But it was just him running things,” McCarthy said.
Photo: MIDN 1/C Grace Rovira
McCarthy chatted with Moore one day after practice and offered his services.
“It was awesome from the get-go,” McCarthy said of coaching the women. “I really enjoyed the first 30 seconds and every second since then.”
McCarthy familiarized himself with the team during the 7s season, which included two tournament titles and a sixth-place finish at the CRCs. And the end of the summer, McCarthy talked with the athletic director and director of rugby, and then took the head coach position. Moore, whom McCarthy calls “the duct tape,” is assistant coach and the staff has added Rickey Neel-Feller, the Gonzaga product and USNA alum, who is still active with the All-Navy team.
Photo: MIDN 1/C Grace Rovira
The coach was able to work with the plebes shortly after they checked in last summer, and two of those first-years came with some high school rugby experience. When the returning midshipmen reported back to Annapolis, there were phases to the transition period, but it was overall simple, per McCarthy.
“The 1/C midshipmen have really stepped up and put their mark on the team,” the coach said of the seniors. “We had a meeting about expectations for the season and I can honestly say that I had little to nothing to do with that meeting. I was there, but when the seniors put it all out there, I had nothing to add. It was pretty outstanding, and fun to watch. It was like a leadership academy. A lot of the progress and culture-building is because of this class.”
Captain and flyhalf Abby Ebersole, vice captain Grace Rovira, and team officers Robyn Roper, Ashley Pestano and Audrey Hollis play significant roles in guiding the squad on and off the pitch. In terms of goals, the leadership didn’t speak of wins or losses – although the team does aspire to qualify for DI fall playoffs – but readiness at practice and fitness expectations.
Photo: MIDN 1/C Grace Rovira
Numbers are in the mid-40s and rugby newcomers comprise nearly the majority of the squad. That means lots of focus on fundamentals in the early-goings.
“When you have 20-something new rugby players to a squad, you have to do a lot of the basics,” McCarthy said of structuring practices. “In training you want to push the envelope for intensity in contact but also realize this is all new to them. You don’t want the brand-new players to get injuries, so you push it as far as you can.
“I was excited for them to play their first game, because rugby is fun when you’re running around banging into each other, but it’s so much more fun when you’re playing together against another team,” the coach added.
Photo: MIDN 1/C Grace Rovira
That opportunity came last Saturday when USNA traveled three hours to Charlottesville, Va., to play UVA. The experience itself is a fun one: Mad Bowl is on Greek row, students watch from the fraternity and sorority rooftops, music fills the air. The team got there early to walk the pitch and soak it in.
“Saturday I was looking for the execution of the fundamentals,” McCarthy said of focus against UVA, which competes in the DI Blue Ridge conference, a split-season league that builds toward the spring championships, not the fall. “Tackling, rucking, getting to breakdowns and protecting the rugby ball and keeping possession. Not risking possession by last-minute passes and being smart with it, and trusting teammates will be there in support. If you do that and have a good level of fitness, then you’ll have opportunities to exploit those gaps that appear. They stuck to that, and that’s what happened.”
The coach described a steady attack that was reinforced by a communicative and well distributed defense that only allowed one try against. USNA won 38-7 to kick off the season.
Photo: MIDN 1/C Grace Rovira
“There were six or seven new players who are going to be good rugby players once they get some more experience. We have some real athletes and aggressive girls who were laying players out,” McCarthy considered the debutants. “Everyone is having fun, and that’s what encourages more people to give rugby a try. The horizon looks good.”
USNA has a solid, diverse schedule this fall 15s season, and it includes matches against senior women’s clubs, fellow DI independent programs, DI Elite Penn State and DI fall teams. This Saturday, USNA will play senior club Phoenixville out of Pennsylvania.
“Coaching a college team, the running line is: When playing a club team, expect that they’ll have more experience and be more savvy to the laws. And sometimes that means they know how to cheat,” McCarthy said of preparation for an older opponent. “But, where you’ll have advantage is team play, because you’ve been playing together, and fitness. So going into Saturday, we’ll be concentrating on what we do and playing as a team, and as the minutes go on, we’ll count on fitness to work in our favor.”
USNA has matches scheduled until Nov. 16, and if the midshipmen receive an at-large berth to playoffs – they typically do – then the team will join the USA Rugby DI College Fall Regional Playoffs on Nov. 23-24. For DI, that’s a Round of 8/4 weekend, and the fall final will be held Dec. 7-8 in Matthews, N.C.
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