West Chester Recruits With Culture

West Chester University contested the first NCAA-sanctioned varsity rugby game against Eastern Illinois back in September 2007. Back then, there were only four NCAA varsity programs; today there are 19 and the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) oversees the competition. West Chester hasn’t been immune to the permutations of the women’s rugby landscape, but it’s the internal adjustments that see this year’s squad take the pitch with a different energy.

Tony DeRemer has been West Chester’s only head coach, dating back to the Golden Rams’ collegiate club days. Today, the Rams compete in NIRA, and the coach notes positive improvements like the varsity league’s partnership with the MLR referees and the division of teams into Tier 1, Tier 2 and Division III. NIRA membership is a good thing, but it’s not necessarily the main factor in West Chester’s recent resurgence.

“I don’t know if the shift [to NIRA] has given me more players but it has built more interest from players,” DeRemer said. “I get calls from all over the country, Canada and overseas – players who want to check out the program. But in terms of those players actually coming here, I’m not sure we’ve been affected because I don’t have the [scholarship] money like other programs have.”

Still, the Golden Rams recruited 11 freshmen with high school experience this year, and they represent a group of players who have the potential to strengthen the program for years.

“My shift occurred because of my captains and the culture they’ve been building with players since last year,” DeRemer praised seniors Juah Toe, Haley Spangler and Harley Divine. “When recruits came to visit, my players were friendly and inclusive, and the recruits felt what a family there is here. I have to give them so much credit, because that’s the sort of thing that can really change a team.”

The creation of NIRA helped spike interest in the program, but it’s been the player-driven cultivation of a competitive and positive culture that saw West Chester attract quality newcomers. DeRemer placed special emphasis on Toe, “who was the impetus behind everything,” the coach said of the flanker.

“I can’t even explain how much she does. I’ve always tried to build the family culture but Juah takes it to another level,” DeRemer said. “For example, she wrote to all of the parents of incoming freshmen and got them to write letters to their kids to say good luck. She presented those letters to them before their first game [Saturday]. It’s those very thoughtful things she does that lets them know they’re family.”

There’s a great set of seniors leading the way, and a solid sophomore class that includes standouts like Autumn Czaplicki, a gifted multi-sport athlete who came to West Chester with no rugby experience and went on to lead West Chester in tries scored last year; and Lauren Madalian of Morris, N.J., lineage. They welcome a group of freshmen who are already pushing the squad.

“There’s 11 of them, and with some pretty strong girls from last year’s incoming class, they could build and strengthen our team for a number of years if they’re willing to step up and really make rugby their top priority here,” DeRemer said. “That’s what I was hoping for.

“I showed up to the first practice, and there were 32 players out there all ready to go,” the coach reflected fondly. “I haven’t seen that in a long time. They’re all so excited and they’ve made practices a lot more focused and tense and aggressive – all those things you want to see as a coach. And they’re elevating the upperclassmen because, one, they want a little competition to make sure everyone’s playing for their spots; and, two, everyone wants the team to be better in general.”

The team had five training sessions before the season-opener against Brown, but a couple of freshmen have already made an impression.

“Haley Andreasen really stands out to me,” DeRemer said of the Hopkins, Minn., product who also played with HSAA East team this summer. “She’s like Autumn – really strong and fiery and gives it her all at practice.

“Heather Spangler, Hailey’s younger sister, started in the game against Brown,” the coach said of the No. 8. “They’re different sizes – Haley is tall and lanky, Heather is shorter and stronger – and have totally different skill sets, but Hailey is always pushing Heather.”

Brown and West Chester match up well, and so the Golden Rams did their homework in an attempt to address some of the Bears’ assets.

“We looked at the tape from last year, and their pack pushed us around a lot in the forwards. So that was part of the game plan: Don’t let that happen,” DeRemer said. “We didn’t get a lot of scrum time [in training] and we had a new front row, but I have to give them credit. They did not get push us around this year and I was very happy about that.

“We were also worried about Zy [Thomas], their 8. We knew she was going to be tough so we concentrated a lot on making sure she couldn’t break off the scrum and do damage,” the coach continued. “I thought we had a good back line with Autumn and Haley and Lauren, but Brown played great defense and were up on us and shutting us down.”

West Chester did well to maintain possession for double-digit phases, but it was until broken play or penalties occurred that the Rams were able to get behind the defense and score. Otherwise, DeRemer described a very even game with no clear upper hand for either side. The final was 25-14, but West Chester actually scored five tries to Brown’s two through Czaplicki (2), Divine, Madalian and Grace Larko.

“There was a bit of relief,” DeRemer said of the players’ reaction after the first win. “We really wanted this one to start off, and it’s a tough one to begin with. The players were excited and they celebrated the win, but at the same time it was: Monday it’s back to work.

“There’s an aura of excitement. The girls want a championship – they really do – and we’re challenging them,” DeRemer said. “I’m very excited to coach this year, and so are the other coaches [Rob Sanderson, Ariel Johnson, Adriana Zeiders] – and I have to give them credit. We all have a game plan here.”

West Chester will play a non-varsity game against Bloomsburg University this weekend, a game that pits two close friends – Kevin Castner coaches the Huskies – against each other. DeRemer indicated that the athletics department encourages games against Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) programs in hopes that they might consider elevating women’s rugby varsity. In fact, DeRemer has recently fielded inquiries from Bloomsburg about what that process has looked like for West Chester.

Looking ahead, West Chester is really looking forward to playing AIC, a team that put up 100 points on the Rams last year, and closing that differential. Mount St. Mary’s, which beat AIC by two points last weekend, is also circled on the calendar, as a competitive relationship has developed there.

NIRA’s Tier 2 has the potential to be the most interesting this year, with 4-5 programs that are in close proximity to each other, competition wise. Stay tuned.