Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Women's Rugby team enterd the Wheeling Athletic lineup with a bang during the fall season, claiming the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) 15's National Championship. As they prepare for spring action, the goal remains the same as the Cardinals transition from the 15's game to the 7's game, looking for the same type of success. With several of the stars from 15's season returning for 7's season, the Cardinals will have plenty of veteran leadership to lead the way.
The 15's season would be the inaugural year for the Wheeling Women's Rugby team, and they came onto the scene with a bang. They would win their first ever game against Ohio State 35-7 and never looked back, going a perfect 8-0 during the regular season. As a team, the Cardinals averaged 59.25 points per game during the regular season and qualified for the 2024 Allegheny Rugby Union Championship match. They would take on St. Bonaventure, and the offense continued to roll scoring 55 points on their way to a 55-10 win to secure the first conference championship in program history. With the win, the Cardinals officially qualified for the NCR 15's National Playoffs as they began the run in Columbus, Ohio.
The run would begin with one of the toughest battled of the season against the University of Virginia. It was a back and forth game throughout, but the Cardinals survived picking up the 31-27 win and advancing on to the semifinals. Up next was Northeastern, who had just upset the defending National Champions Michigan, and the Cardinals once again handled business, picking up a 35-19 win. They would then fly down to Houston, Texas for the 2025 NCR DI Women's National Championship match and were looking to become the first new program to win a National Championship in their inaugural season. Southern Nazarene University would stand in their way, but the Cardinals offense would do what they did all season. They scored 58 points and claimed the national title with a 58-17 win, taking home the third National Championship in Wheeling Athletics history.
Some of the premiere stars from the 15's season are back once again for the 7's campaign, led by National Tournament MVP Alexis Dallas. Dallas was the team's leader with 17 tries during the 15's season, while finishing second on the team with 87 points across the 12 games. She turned it on during the second half of the season, scoring multiple tries in all but one postseason game for the Cardinals. She scored one try during the National Championship match, while assisting on several others to earn the MVP award for her team. As they head into 7's season, Head Coach Ken Pape noted that she will be passing the ball a little more frequently, as she looks to continue making an impact and helping lead the Cardinals to the postseason.
Along with the stars from 15's season, a few new players are looking to make their early season mark on the pitch. Leading the charge is Jemmely Rivera, who finished her 15's season with a bang in the National Championship. She was one of two multi-try scorers for the Cardinals, including scoring the final try of the game that got the Cardinals to the 58-point mark. Rivera finished the year with four tries, accounting for 20 points, and looks to build on that success during 7's season. Another name brought up by Pape was Alli Davis who, like Rivera, was a role player during the 15's season. Davis would finish with five tries, including one in the National Championship game, and looks to use her combination of speed and agility to lead the Cardinals on the field.
Training for 7's season has been going since February, and the Cardinals will hit the road this spring with five tournaments leading up to the Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) 7's Tournament. Things kick-off this weekend at the Frostbite 7's, where the Cardinals will see some of the top teams across NCAA DII Women's Rugy. They follow that up with their first, and only, home tournament of the 7's on March 9th, as they bring fast-paced 7's action to Bishop Schmitt Field. Wheeling rounds out the 7's season with three tournaments on the road at Brown University, St. Bonaventure, and Frostburg State to help them prepare for playoffs. The Cardinals have already qualified for the CRC 7's, and will use the regular season as a warm-up to get them ready.
The 2025 Spring 7's season kicks off on Saturday, March 1st, when the team heads to the Frostbite 7's, beginning at 9 AM.
