Last season, Winona State finished second to Vassar College in the USA Rugby DII Fall College Championship. The experience impacted the players’ mentality going forward and encouraged a push for different competition options. The Black Katts wanted to be better prepared for the pressures of knockout rugby, and made some changes.
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“It was a humbling moment for everyone, including myself. Learning from failure helped me build character as a player. Once you go through it, you blossom as an individual,” Winona State president Diana Tapia reflected on the 2018 fall final. “From that point on, I witnessed a transition within the players and the culture within our team. The humbling moment had created a new set of goals, determination and perseverance. The team’s mindset became more determined to work harder, using every practice, giving it 110% working towards our goals.”
The team formed new goals, individuals intensified their work ethic, and an overall increase in determination and perseverance marked the group. That shift paired nicely with the DI Midwest conference’s approval of Winona’s renewed proposal to join the DI league for its regular season. The Minnesota program would then rejoin the DII Northern Lights for the post-season. In the past, Winona has had to weather forfeits and cancellations in the DII league.
“We were so excited to test ourselves in the DI conference,” Winona State match secretary Emily Becker enthused. “We understand that rugby is growing and it is hard sometimes to field a whole team, but it makes it very hard for our team to test what we work on during practice every day when teams have to cancel because of low numbers. It has been great to play against teams that highlight our strengths and weaknesses so that we know what to work on to be ready for playoffs.”
The DI Midwest has had its shortages, too – Iowa State forfeited this weekend’s match – and the Black Katts have produced some lopsided results, but there’s a better mix of pushback and opportunity to develop depth this season. Tapia pointed to expert leadership for navigating and growing the team through a new competition.
“Key leaders such as Emily Becker and Annika Culver have set the tone for the team,” the president lauded. “As veterans they continue to use their leadership platform to inspire other players to work hard towards their goals. … It’s a huge honor of mine to play alongside with such great leaders like them.”
Captain Gabby Calametti is equally influential to the development of the team and the pack leader’s work ethic garners limitless respect from peers and coaches. Core players like Abby Adler, Makayla Leraas and Sydney Stokes also bolster the rugby knowledge base and add lots of value to the team.
“Lindsey Schneeberger is definitely a new, talented must-watch,” Tapia highlighted the newcomer. “A powerhouse is what she is, I’d keep my eye on her. She’s a dangerous player on the field without a doubt. Every match she continues to bring her firepower, I’m thankful to have such a remarkable player like her on this team.”
The squad gauged its progress against the University of Minnesota, the team’s favorite opponent, according to Tapia.
“The biggest thing that I mentioned during practice is not being too comfortable,” the president continued. “The University of Minnesota has outstanding talent. The moment you lose a scrum, lineout or create a gap, they’ll use it to their advantage. It’s what makes them such a strong competitive team. They know what they’re doing and will put up a good fight.”
“They were trying to poach the ball in the ruck and they consistently made tackles – these things force you to really focus on the fundamentals of rugby and being mentally strong in technique,” Becker added. “We were tested to play smart and strategic. We also saw some really great highlights from the game and the team was excited to move forward from that game and learn at practice to clean up some of the messy spots.”
Winona State won 22-10 and emerged with a reinforced confidence. The Black Katts also exited the DI Midwest conference with an undefeated record. Looking ahead, the team will play the DII Northern Lights champion (undefeated Mankato State is the leading candidate) for seeding into the Nov. 16 wild card round. Then it’s the regional fall championships (Nov. 23-24) and if the Black Katts go 2-0 that weekend, the fall final four follows on Dec. 7-8.
The team is wholly focused on the playoff rugby to come, but there is also a looming action item to address. After many years of service, Roger Riley and Josh Krzewinski will step down as coaches, and a head-coach search has been underway since the beginning of the fall. They have been crucial to the Black Katts’ success this decade and beyond, and the team knows it needs the right coaches to continue this new trajectory of success.
“Winona State is an established program of 27 years with a winning tradition,” Becker addressed potential coaching candidates. “Our coaches, along with past and current team members, have built this team to where it is with their hard work, and we are looking for a new coach to continue and build onto this longstanding tradition that is Winona State Women’s Rugby. We have a great support system for a new transitioning coach, and we are excited to find a coaching staff that will build on the foundations that are in place.”
For more information, e-mail Emily Becker.