St. Bonaventure is NCR Small College’s Best

St. Bonaventure University won the 2023 Women’s Small College 15s National Championship, defeating Univ. Wisconsin Platteville 22-17 during the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) finale inside AVEVA Stadium in Houston, Texas. Inside center Makenna Ramsey was named championship MVP, while Bonaventure fullback Natalie Lamar earned Heart & Soul honors alongside Platteville No. 8 Selena “Crusher” Bodendein.

RELATED: Small College Semifinal Recap

St. Bonaventure had defeated 2022 national champion Endicott College 22-10 during the Dec. 2 semifinals, and then Platteville followed with a 31-5 victory against SUNY Cortland to advance to Sunday’s trophy match.

“The whole motto going into this [championship weekend] was: We have done everything we can do to prepare. We have all the tools. Now we just have to show up and execute,” St. Bonaventure Univ. head coach Meredith Pyke said. “So I think the belief was there, but today was just pure grit, honestly.”

But there was a leap of faith to be had. Senior co-captain and scrumhalf Kaylee Middaugh did not take the pitch for Sunday’s final, and freshman Mia Popp stepped into the halfback role.

“For me, that was a little bit scary going into this game,” Pyke said. “Kaylee Middaugh is an integral part of our team. She’s one of our captains and usually our speaking captain, so we did not have her in the role where she normally shines.

“Mia Popp has been playing [backup scrumhalf] all season to get that experience, so we knew she could do it,” the coach continued. “But I knew that as a freshman [she’d be thinking], ‘Oh my gosh, national championship, I’m starting, I’m finishing.’ … She went in with some doubts and I pulled her aside after the game and said, ‘Mia Popp, if you ever doubt yourself again, I want you to think about this moment because you held us in.’”

The Bonaventure scrum showed dominance early on and that helped with possession in Platteville’s end. The forwards did well to build that pressure, and then from a 10-meter scrum, flyhalf Ashley Reid took the attack to the weak side and Ramsey scored the game’s first try after nine minutes, 5-0.

“Ashley Reid stepped up,” Pyke said of the senior. “She helped Mia at the nine position and was doing her normal directing role as our 10. There are moments – go to our first try of the game. Ashely Reid set that up and that’s what she’s known for for us. She has been incredible for us this season and does not get enough credit.”

Platteville did more than answer and put back-to-back tries onto the scoreboard. After some advantageous penalties and a forward assault at the try line, prop Emma Callaghan dove over for five points. Then five minutes later, fullback Sydney Kaluzny broke through the line, and although Lamar did an excellent job to corral the ballcarrier into the touch, the subsequent lineout went into Platteville hands. Flanker McKenna Dutton scooped up the over-throw and charged forward. Then the attack angled toward the corner, sending a skip pass to outside center Ashley Head for the try, 10-5.

Platteville had the lead but regrettably lost its best finisher, Taylor Brink, in the process. The wing scored three tries against SUNY Cortland on Saturday.

For Platteville, it’s been a special season as well. There’s a nice core of upperclassmen who have been playing together for 3-4 years, and Bodendein and fellow captain and scrumhalf Zoe Barnes knit the game together. The Wisconsin team really started to hit its stride after a mid-season coaching change, which was an adjustment, but a worthy one. Richard Bergmann and the kilted Iain Whyte are a good fit for Platteville.

Some fatigue began to show in Platteville’s ranks, and Bonaventure poached possession when support to the rucks lagged. One such jackal set up Kaylee Vincent’s try, and Kyla Nentarz – who was SO good on defense and just ran on a tilt – kicked the conversion while the crowd attempted to unnerve the center, 12-10.

That all-important momentum was for the taking after the break, and Bonaventure claimed it. From a penalty near Platteville’s 22, Ramsey tapped through the mark and just burst through would-be tacklers for the try, 17-10.

Platteville responded well and built into St. Bonaventure’s end. The team had the opportunity to even up, and got over the try line, but the defense prevented the grounding. The goal-line dropout when straight into touch, thus awarding a five-meter center scrum to Platteville. But the campaign did not produce points. Instead, Ramsey kicked a loose ball off the ground to get everyone scrambling, and then followed up with another on-the-run kick to relieve pressure to the 50.

The championship MVP set up (and scored) the defining try. The center went quickly from a penalty at mid-field, and once in good position, the forwards went to work at the line. Jaylei Wagstaff, Katie Paterson, Abby Beres, Kaylee Vincent and more carried hard all day and really helped set up opportunities around the pitch. After a solid assault on the try line and a valiant defense from Platteville, the ball moved away from the pile to Ramsey who scored again, 22-10 with 15 minutes to play.

Platteville kept coming. The team started the season with 16 players for its first game but added numbers and built depth so that it had a full 24 for nationals. Everyone kept pushing and at minute 70, lock Shea Mineau stretched across the line for the team’s third try, which was converted: 22-17.

Ten minutes is enough time for another score, but Pyke credited the team’s game management and general rugby IQ for riding out the rest of the game and sealing the result. The championship is St. Bonaventure’s first, and the outing also marked Platteville’s first appearance in the trophy match. Expect to see these squads again during spring 7s!