There was only one quarterfinal play-in match in the western portion of the USA Rugby’s DI Fall College Championship, and it was between the University of Wyoming and Texas A&M. The Rocky Mountain runner-up had to travel to College Station, Texas, for the bout and weathered a physical Aggies team in a 64-7 decision. Wyoming will now head to Columbia, Mo., for the western half of the bracket’s quarterfinals and semifinals on Nov. 23-24.
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Wyoming returned to Division I last season, and the self-promotion aligned with some changes that started occurring a few years ago. Head coach John Pope and backs coach Bobby Watkins (forwards coach Whitney Gifford joined this last year) joined the program four years ago and added some structure.
“There were no major programmatic changes, but when we stepped in we decided to try to provide the team with a long-term and stable coaching framework,” Pope said. “The team accepted this, and we began to have consistency around practices and around some of the programs we used internally.”
That commitment attracted and retained more numbers, and the players’ aspirations rose in step with these successes. With the aid of Rocky Mountain commissioner Ed McKenna, who helped a resurgent program navigate the conference, Wyoming joined DI in fall 2018. The team went 0-4, but was happy to be playing the Front Range schools – Colorado, Colorado State, Air Force – that other Wyoming sports traditionally face.
“This year, the intimidation factor was a lot lower,” Pope said of this season. “The first year, everyone was concerned about what DI meant, and in the second year, you know what it means. The players were less intimidated but as coaches, we probably prepared them better for this level of play. The result was more success. Also, it was the fourth year of our coaching systems, which takes time to get all the skills and patterns in place.”
Robust fundamentals is the first tenet of the team’s game pattern; tackling, passing, flat defensive lines – all of those things that need to go right all of the time. Then it’s about playing a balanced game between the backs and forwards, and arming leaders with a diverse tool box so they can confront different scenarios competently.
“We were talking at practice the other day that it’s nice that we’re now coaching some of the finer details of the game instead of basic fundamentals,” Pope said of the team’s evolution over four years. “We spent a lot of time over the last 3-4 years focused on the fundamentals, and now the team has built a culture that supports it and expects the execution of fundamentals. There’s always work to do, but now we can coach some of the more entertaining parts of the game.”
Fourth-year Kelsi DeRosier is the critical decision-maker. The senior has played scrumhalf, flyhalf, inside center, flanker and is now directing from No. 8. The pack is anchored by front rows Aimee Kawano and McKenna Worden, and senior lock Sarah Pope, and those vets work nicely with scrumhalf Shannon VanReeth in organizing the forward game.
In the backs, Jordan McCracken moved from fullback to flyhalf when High School All-American Haley Harris took an injury, and the senior injects veteran wisdom and perspective from that position. The centers got a jolt from first-season Natalie Christofferson, who already plays with the confidence of a veteran. In the back field, watch for Australian Jessica Gentle, who came to Wyoming to play soccer, and now with one more year of eligibility is bringing her union experience to the pitch.
They spark a lot of the good things that happen on the pitch and led Wyoming to wins over Colorado, New Mexico and Colorado State, and a loss to Air Force. The team beat Utah State 53-41 in the conference semifinals and took another loss to Air Force in the final. But it was enough for a berth to the regional wild card round, an opportunity for which Pope and team were grateful.
“Traveling represents a new challenge for this team. Post-season play is also a new challenge, but the team was high on coming down here. They understood it was one-and-done and that they had to win, but they were very enthusiastic about mixing it up,” said Pope, who noted that they had five days to get themselves sorted for Texas.
“The only way we could come to Texas was because the University of Wyoming and other sponsors stepped up with cash, so the team could fly. That was the only way we could do it,” the coach added. “On behalf of the team, we’re very grateful, but it’s also a good thing for women’s rugby that people are willing to step up and help.”
There was a lot of nervous energy, some of which was exercised through a vigorous pre-game dance in the parking lot and then channeled into game time. Wyoming came out strongly and put points on the board through the opening 20 minutes.
“That gave us an opportunity to continue to control the game and continue to play the game in our way, but we didn’t do that,” Pope said. “We didn’t take that opportunity and at the first 20 minutes of the second half, no points were scored.”
Texas A&M likes to run its big, strong pack, and did not let up throughout the whole match. The integrity of Wyoming’s defense was tested, and the barrage took a lot out of the squad mentally and physically.
“Today against A&M, it was our flankers Steffany [Stephenson] and Gretchen [Meister],” Pope said of influential players. “They put on a clinic in tackling. They were amazing in getting up and off the line and putting those big, running forwards on the ground.”
The Aggies were able to march down the field with double-digit phases, while Wyoming absorbed the hits and took care of their respective rucks. By minute 60, however, the visitors picked themselves back up and answered, and the momentum shifted for a 20-point rally. Wyoming banked the 64-7 win and berth to the fall quarterfinals.
“We’ve worked with our players to get past the point where they’re striving to execute and more to where they’re showing up with enthusiasm and energy,” Pope said. “Today was the first time this season that happened across the board. The players fully showed up and brought some very good rugby. I was very proud to be their coach.”
Pope did notice an uptick in confidence with the win, but noted that it’s been growing incrementally since the spring. In the first half of 2019, Wyoming traveled to SoCal with 14 players and beat UC San Diego and the Surfers in friendly wins, and then watched and met USA 7s Eagles in Chula Vista.
“With those wins and after rubbing shoulders with the amazing women with USA 7s, they came back with a confidence that has carried the team to a new level,” Pope said. “They’re realizing that they can play with anybody and as a result it helps them focus on being present and showing up and playing their best rugby, instead of worrying of whether they’re worthy or what the outcome might be. They’re turning a corner in their belief and it’s amazing to watch.”
Wyoming will now play Minnesota in DI fall quarterfinals on Nov. 23, and depending on the result, will play either Air Force or Indiana on Sunday in the semifinals or consolation match.
“We have no idea what to expect, other than we have the potential to face Air Force for the third time this season,” Pope said. “I personally view it as a welcome challenge [to play Air Force]. I have a lot of respect for Amy [Rusert] and how they approach the game, and the more games we have against teams like that, the better we’ll be. I’m not sure the players feel the same about the prospect of playing Air Force three times in five weeks.”
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