Team Stripes Wins Inaugural Women's Championship

The inaugural Women’s XV’s All-Star Championship delivered thrilling competition on a frigid Atlanta day, ultimately crowning Team Stripes as its first-ever champions with a commanding 3-0 record. Led by University of Virginia’s Nancy Kechner, recipient of a US Women’s Rugby Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, Team Stripes demonstrated remarkable consistency and skill across their grueling three-game schedule, amassing 12 table points and the highest point differential of 32-31 over Team Hawks. Their journey to the title included a tight 14-10 victory over Team Hawks, sealed by two successful conversions from James Madison’s Nora Richards, and a decisive 28-12 win against a strong Team Stars roster in the finale, featuring tries from Southern Nazarene hooker Lauren Anderson, Purdue’s Tiara Mason, and UVA's Kate Delaney. Virginia fly-half Milena Keene, who also scored a try against the Stars, was rightly named the tournament's inaugural XV's MVP, standing out among a field of top talent from programs like Northern Iowa's Emma Hastings and Brown's Caitlin Moroney. This groundbreaking event, despite being truncated to one day, clearly showcased the depth of talent in collegiate women's rugby, signaling a bright and competitive future for the sport in the United States.