A new era began this past weekend for the University of North Georgia women’s club rugby team as they competed in their first tournament as an official 15s team. Club President, and senior kinesiology major, Kat Gustilo said traveling to Athens, Georgia, to face the Athens Eagles and other regional opponents, gave new and returning players a chance to step on the pitch together and mark the milestone.
Founded in 2007, UNG’s women’s rugby program has traditionally competed in the 7s format, which fields seven players per side.
While 15s is the standard version of the sport, the club never had enough consistent numbers to make it possible.
Gustilo said that when she first joined, only two other players regularly came to practice, but the team has grown into a full 15. “I wanted to leave the club better than I found it,” she said, “and I’m proud knowing it started from three girls at practice to a whole 15 of us getting ready to represent our school.”
The team’s growth showed in Athens, where the Nighthawks bounced back from an opening loss to earn their first win of the season, a 21–0 shutout. First year player freshman nursing major, Ru Helvie, scored her first try on a breakaway run, a highlight that stood out to third year veteran, junior criminal justice major, Bryn Bryant. Bryant said that in the first game, the team was full of nerves, but they quickly gave way to confidence. “I was fired up. I feel like we all woke up and shook those nerves off, which is how we secured the second game win.”
The continuous rain turned the pitch into a mudslide, but the players embraced it with a mud slip-and-slide to celebrate the day.
Beyond the scores and mud, the tournament also highlighted what Bryant referred to as “the heart of rugby.” Athens players stepped in as substitutes for UNG when they became short after injuries, showcasing teamwork beyond the separate programs.
The UNG rugby community is welcoming new players of all experience levels as they build their 15s program, Gustilo said. Students can connect with the club on Instagram or attend practices at Radar Ridge on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30–7:30 p.m.
With a full 15s roster, Gustilo said she is excited to savor her last semester and watch the program continue to grow.
