Mahdia Parker / Photo courtesy Brown University Athletics
The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) has been active since mid-August, and it has allowed a first look at the new student-athletes who will continue to shape and promote the NCAA varsity league. While some teams have had more than double the field time than others, the first month-plus of action has identified freshmen who are positively impacting their home squads.
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
Head coach Tara Roberts has six freshmen starters and they’re all making an impact.
“Colleen MacAdam and Jessica Berggren have been playing in the tight 5. The stability they add to set pieces, both lineouts and scrums, has been huge for us. They also both do a lot of the less flashy, hard-nosed work for us up the middle of the field for us without error or complaint.”
The coach praised the unparalleled lineout-jumping ability of mobile loose forward Ka’ree Horton and the value of hooker Jyzelle Duran in the set pieces and open play. No. 8 Jamaya is explosive off the back of the scrum and a dominant tackler.
“Finally, Suley Guerrero. Smallest player on the team and extremely quiet, but just an absolute force,” Roberts lauded the wing, who might be moving to outside center. “She is incredibly shifty and fast, and does remarkably well in contact for her size. To top it all off, she’s extremely humble and coachable.”
Roberts is excited about the sheer talent but also for structure and new pattern to set in.
“I think that in a few years’ time this group will be running riot in the Tier,” the coach concluded.
ARMY WEST POINT
The Black Knights are currently leading Tier 1 (in TRB rankings) and head coach Bill Le Clerc singled out two first-years on the first team.
Julia Riekena is a known entity. The High School All-American spent last year at the Army prep school and thrived there. The Montana native joins the back of the scrum at No. 8 and adds a ton of power and poise to the pitch.
Julie Riekena getting up / Photo courtesy Army West Point Athletics
Kaylee Cargile “is a massive diamond in the rough,” LeClerc said of the walk-on with no rugby experience. “She is a beast.”
Cargile is from Spokane, Wash., and finding a home in the second row. She scored her first collegiate try against Notre Dame College last weekend.
BOWDOIN COLLEGE
The Polar Bears were light on recruits this year but the team did welcome a solid group of freshmen walk-ons. Head coach MaryBeth Mathews sees loads of potential in these first-years but they’ll need time before they stand out. The sophomore class is growing in strength and that development is producing some excitement in the group.
BROWN UNIVERSITY
Mahdia Parker and Kate Molloy have put their hands up early in the Tier 2 season. The former comes out of New York and has already scored seven tries against AIC, Long Island and Sacred Heart. The latter is from Lincoln-Sudbury, Mass., and contributes from the loose forward position. Molloy has also scored and injects power to the breakdowns.
CASTLETON UNIVERSITY
Spartans head coach Frank Graziano highlighted freshman Tova Tovah Coe of Essex High School in Vermont.
“She is tough, athletic and a quick learner. She is an excellent student and a great teammate,” Graziano lauded. “Currently she is second on the team in tackles and has already scored once. She is also developing into a versatile player and will play several positions for us this season. Tovah has a very bright future on the Spartan Rugby Team and at Castleton University.”
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Crimson head coach Mel Denham praised three first-years doing well thus far:
Prop Achele Agada came to Cambridge via England and has been a part of the England Academy. She drew attention after scoring two tries against Dartmouth and then was named COOP Student-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 24. Denham praised the front row for dominance in the set piece, big tackles on defense, and meters made in every carry.
Brogan Mior is a center/flyhalf from Canada, and while in high school, played up with the Canada U20 squad that featured in the U20 Tri-Nations Cup in England. Mior is the top point-scorer for Harvard thus far and displays great vision, decision-making and skill execution, per Denham.
Alex Pipkin is a High School All-American and the North Bay, Md., product is getting time at center and fullback. Denham called Pipkin a savvy, standout playmaker with good vision and high game IQ.
MOLLOY COLLEGE
Lions head coach Melissa Olman pointed to freshman Nicole Dubon, who is already making stellar contributions as a lock and lineout jumper.
“Her height makes her a threat to win in the air with every lineout,” Olman explained. “She has shown a great vision of field and I’m excited to watch her grow over her time here at Molloy. She is brand new to the sport but definitely has a spark!”
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE
Tom Campbell is leading the NIRA newcomer, and he highlighted two freshmen doing good things for the team: Mackenzie Wilson (Kingwood, Texas) and Nika Taylor (North Mecklenburg, N.C.).
“Mackenzie is tall, fast, kicks and passes well, and has played both scrumhalf and flyhalf at NEC,” Campbell noted. “At 5’ 11”, 125 lbs., Mackenzie is pretty lean, and we look forward to getting her into the weight room to put on a few pounds. With her natural abilities and outstanding work ethic, Mackenzie has the potential to become a truly great player!
“Nika’s a solid tackler and fierce in the ruck, and also has breakaway speed,” the coach highlighted the impact player. “At 5’ 8”, 170 lbs., Nika is ideal at flanker or second row.”
UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND
Freshman Salman Bezzat has worked her way into head coach Ashley Potvin-Fulford’s starting lineup and has a ton of potential.
“She scored the equalizing try against [University of Maine Orono] a few weeks ago. She is an extremely hard worker and has a natural nose for the game, often jumping on loose balls or capitalizing on pick and go opportunities,” the coach noted. “She is great in contact offensively and defensively.”
NORWICH UNIVERSITY
Austin Hall’s Cadets currently have two freshmen are getting 80 minutes with the top side.
“Emily Ngo is a wrestler from Turlock, Calif., who is playing blindside flanker for us,” the coach began. “She’s got a wrestler’s work rate and a powerful base. She also has good top-end speed for a trench warfare-type player and is quickly developing into one of our premier players.
“Bianca Klepper is a skier from Upperville, Va. She went to high school at Carrabassett Valley Academy, a high performance training center for skiers,” Hall continued. “Her sister [Josie Ziluca] is a coach with Princeton Rugby, and formerly, our U.S. National Touch Rugby team. Bianca just started this year and has played every minute at 13. She’s got an incredible work ethic and has the athleticism to back it up.”
NOTRE DAME COLLEGE
Falcons head coach Luke Markovich indicated that he has a very solid freshman class in Euclid, Ohio, right now but more time is needed before anyone is exalted a “game breaker.” Everyone has some growing to do but there is potential in the ranks.
QUEENS UNIVERSITY
Royals head coach Katie Wurst and captain Abby Berberich checked in earlier in the season (read more) to talk about the team and its successes. As for standout freshmen:
“I would just have to say that ALL of them have been phenomenal additions to the roster – all exceptional student-athletes, and students of the game,” Wurst enthused. “They give back to the community, too.”
Wurst was preparing a clean-up crew for a local elementary school’s courtyard, and every Wednesday, a dedicated group has been visiting Charlotte Junior Rugby to coach little kids.
“I’m extremely fortunate that I get to be their coach,” Wurst added.
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY
Bobcats head coach Becky Carlson highlighted freshman Gracie Cartwright, who keeps the connection with the Pleasanton Cavaliers alive.
“[Pleasanton head coach] Steve Lopez is turning out another group of solid athletes and she is making an impact right away,” Carlson beamed. “She is fearless in contact and is playing lock for us, although she could play anywhere in the pack.
“There’s also Erin Terwilliger who is out of [Western New York] and used to play alongside Emily Henrich with Orchard Park,” Carlson added. “Coach Lisa [Henrich] has done a tremendous job in her region promoting the game and women in the game.”
SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY
“Makinzie Youngblood, Stephanie Wilson and Isabel Keller have been outstanding for us this season as freshmen,” Pioneers head coach Michelle Reed acknowledged the trio. “They bring knowledge of the game, passion for playing, and a great mindset every day.”
Keller plays fullback and has made 23 tackles this season.
“Keller has made multiple try-saving tackles in each game. She leads the team from the back with her communication and tenacity to track and make the tackles. She’s been the best fullback we have had to date.”
Wilson is an inside center and has made 35 tackles this fall.
“Wilson makes the inside centers have a bad day. She is up in their face with aggression and gives fantastic positive hits. She works very well with Isabel Cuddy, who we have moved to outside center. Stephanie snakes through offenses with her run and draws in defenders to set up Cuddy. She is a natural on the field.”
No. 8 Youngblood has also make 35 tackles this season and has scored seven tries.
“Youngblood is multi-talented with a drive that does not stop. She is the go-to runner in the forwards with a drive to gain ground. Her passion to hit on-pace and explode through is seen in every game. She brings equal passion to her hits by winning the contact area and creating turnovers. She has become our lineout thrower and now restart kicker. She will soon be our conversion kicker, too.”
WEST CHESTER
Golden Rams head coach Tony DeRemer mentioned a couple of newcomers who have potential to be major contributors in the near future (read more) but didn’t want to prematurely pin them as breakouts. West Chester is running deep and there’s a lot of competition for game time, and the newcomers are starting to work into the second halves of games.
“I have a couple of good ones for potential but after thinking about who I consider as ‘standing out’ … we’re just not there yet,” DeRemer qualified. “In 4-6 weeks, it might be a different story.”
ADDENDUM
Not all of the coaches responded to requests for freshmen standouts, but this is what we’ve gleaned from the first month-plus of NIRA action.
Colby-Sawyer has a large freshman class and combined with a large sophomore class, the underclassmen comprise the majority of the roster. head coach Ken Pape talked about his squad in this feature. First-years like Madison Hill and Dayanara Espino have scored for the Chargers and emerged as players to watch. • Dartmouth has only played two games this NIRA season, but those first looks saw Kristin Bitter put a hand up. The Californian has scored a try and kicked multiple conversions. Lillian Johnson (Wash.) has added points off the tee, and fellow freshman Lauren Ferridge (Md.) has scored for the reigning NIRA national champion. • Long Island University has a trio of freshmen featuring well: Sara-Grace McCannon of Maryland’s North Bay, Tennessee’s Columbia Central graduates Haniyah Baugh and Nakoya Hayes. All three score tries and defend well, and are helping re-establish the Sharks. • Guam’s Jalana Jade Garcia has been tearing it up for Mount St. Mary’s and has scored 11 tries so far. Two of those scores occurred in the two-point decision against AIC and another against Tier II-leading Queens. Garcia also kicks for points.