HOUSTON, Tex. --

25 years ago, the Coast Guard Academy Women's Rugby team was the idea of cadet Katie Simone('00). Now, in the year 2025, that team that Simone and her teammates created stand alone atop the Division II National College Rugby(NCR) podium as the National Champions for the first time in program history.

"This win has been a long time coming for women's rugby at the Academy" said Bears head coach Sarah Price. "The women who started this team built an unshakable foundation that has supported all of us for the past 25 years." 

Program founder Katie Simone was there on Facetime for the team, prior to both games this weekend, to offer some inspiring words of wisdom.

"We have known that we could do this for awhile and our players believed and trusted in themselves all season, and that was the force that finally took us over the line" coach Price continued, "I could not be more proud of these young women not only for their hard work, but also for their leadership on and off the field."

Coast Guard had the opportunity to play for the NCR DII National Championship after a dramatic Saturday afternoon Final Four victory over defending Champion Vassar College 29-24, after Vassar beat the Bears in the Final Four last season. Many called the Coast Guard win an upset, but those around the team were not surprised in the slightest. "For years we have fallen short in the semifinals, but I knew from the beginning of the season that this was the team that would finally win it all." said Senior captain Kate Boggs  "This National Championship win was years in the making and for all of our hard work to pay off feels amazing." After beating Vassar, the Bears seemed unstoppable heading into the Championship match. Boggs put it simply after that Vassar game, "Today was a hard, hard win, and I think tomorrow is going to be great. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be a fight and we're all really excited."


(Boggs and teammate Savannah McBrayer celebrating the victory)

Boggs was certainly correct in her assessment, the National Championship was a fight, and it was a great day for the Bears, who won in dominating fashion by a score of 51-12. "This championship means everything to me." said the senior captain.

Boggs, who was named the MVP of the tournament, and is a finalist for the National Collegiate Rugby Player of the Year, is the heart and soul of the CGA team and factors in every facet of the Bears game. She found wing Avery Soca for the clinching try in the semifinal vs Vassar and was all over the pitch for Coast Guard in the finals vs Eau-Claire. "Being named MVP was a surprise to me but I am definitely proud of myself." said Boggs, "Coming back after an injury(a broken tibia and fibula in the Rugby 7s National Championship in April) wasn't easy, I put in a lot of work to get back my speed and power, and to see it pay off reminds to just trust the process." Kate concluded, "Don't wish for it, Work for it."
 
She would work for the Bears to jump out to an early two try advantage, scoring one herself to open up a 10-0 lead before Wisconsin Eau-Claire stormed back to take a 12-10 lead. Right before half, senior prop Meirabella Rouane scored to give the Bears back the lead at a score of 19-12 at the break.

Out of the half, Coast Guard beared down and was purely dominant. They scored 32 unanswered, holding UWEC scoreless for the entire half with tries from Rouane, wing Avery Soca (twice), center Marley King, fly half Hazel Mitrik and fullback Gabriella Kraus-Rivera. Three of those tries were followed by successful conversions from Kraus-Rivera to end the game 51-12.

Gabby is a two sport phenom at the Coast Guard Academy, also starring as a defender for the women's lacrosse team in the Spring. For the senior from West Linn, Oregon, the two sports she excels at compliment each other. "Lacrosse has taught me so many life lessons and brought me people that make my life better." Rivera started, "it has taught me communicative skills that have directly translated from being a defender on the lacrosse field to being a full back on the rugby pitch." Her teammate on both the rugby pitch in the fall, and lacrosse field in the Spring, Hannah Warnke got the scoring started for the Bears with the game's first try in the first half. 


(Kraus-Rivera, left. Hannah Warnke right)

For Kraus-Rivera, lacrosse was her first love, picking up the stick at the age of 11, and that sport taught her the importance of practicing on your own time and repetition. "I didn't start playing rugby until I was a sophomore so reps was the most important thing and it was almost second nature at that point." said Gabby. "I have no doubt in my mind that I have really good ball handling skills in the division that we play at on the rugby field, but there's no way that I would have those skills without having that innate ability to just take the time out of my day to go get those reps in that I've been taught through years of lacrosse." Those great skills were on display all season long for Gabby, including today when the one sometimes called "The Ginga Ninja" scored a try with some excellent moves in the second half. 

The championship for the Women's Rugby program is the culmination of 25 years of hard work and dedication. The win is as much for the women currently donning the uniform as it is for everyone who has in the past quarter century. 

For more information on the tournament, Click HERE
To watch a replay of the Championship, Click HERE