Squad restores reputation as contender in national tourneys

The IU women’s rugby team is tough. \nSophomore Aryaun Smith sat out a recent practice with an injury, but all she can think about is getting back on the field. \n“I’ve got a bummed shoulder,” said Smith, a first-year player who teammates consider to be one of the best in the Midwest. \nShe hurt it last weekend and plans to visit the doctor on Thursday due to a possible tear.\n“I’ve got to get it checked out, so I can play this weekend,” Smith said.\nAs their three-hour practice concludes, the Hoosiers do some final drills and critique mistakes. \nSecond-year head coach Vaughn Mitchell and members of the team consider the practices “laid-back” compared to game days.\nGame days are when the women’s rugby team really brings it. \nThe squad completed a very successful regular season in the fall, placing second in the Midwest for Division II. The team beat Illinois, which was a major accomplishment in the eyes of Vaughn – it had never beaten the Fighting Illini.\nThough this did not place the Hoosiers into the national tournament this spring, it does allow them to enter Division I next season, along with the opportunity to face Ohio State and West Virginia and perhaps reaching the Final Four in the Midwest region. With at least a second-place finish, the team would earn a bid to the national tournament. \nOn March 25, the Hoosiers won Nash Bash 2007, the second-largest free-state tournament in the country, which took place in Nashville, Tenn. \nAt the tournament, IU beat regional foe Ohio State, which was ranked in the top 25 nationally and second in the Midwest. IU also beat Grand Valley State, another team it had never beaten in its 11-year history. Though the results of the Bash have no bearing on regional or national seeding, first-year player Katie O’Leary felt defending the title is a top priority.\n“It is important to keep our reputation,” O’Leary said.\nWhat might be more impressive than the team’s recent results is the athletic composition of the team.\n“We’ve had everything from ex-ballerinas to to ex-football players,” said junior April Scheuerell, who is a winger and fullback. \nThough the program has been around for more than a decade, the IU women’s rugby team has never made it to nationals. It hopes to change that.\nOne step taken in improving the Hoosiers’ chances has been the creation of an Indiana “all-star team” in collaboration with Ball State. The squad recently headed to Iowa for matches with teams from around the region.\nThe 40 new women \nwho tried out last fall for the rugby team was the highest amount the club had ever seen. Angela Maternowski sees this upward trend continuing into next season.\n“We’re hoping to get over 50 girls out here next year,” Maternowski said.\nAnd with the men’s Rugby World Cup taking place in the fall, Mitchell feels rugby’s fame will really take off.\n“People don’t see the sport,” Mitchell said. “Once they see it, they’ll start to understand it, and it will grow in popularity.”\nThe squad finishes its season on Thursday at home against Ball State.