Allison Mueller/ Winonan
The Black Katts have been Minnesota Champions seven years in a row and National Sweet 16 competitors the past six years. They have made multiple Elite 8 appearances and have made it to the National Championship match the past three years—taking second place twice and first place in 2013. They have a perfect 10-0 record this year and have outscored their opponents 843 to 44. These women rugby players have proved their talent—yet have to wash their own uniforms and drive their own vehicles as long as seven hours to an away game.
Winona State University women’s rugby team has been in existence as a club sport for the past 23 years. Like any club or non-varsity sport, the Black Katts rely heavily on fundraising.
Head coach Josh Krzewinski said, “Fundraising is essential for us to compete at the level we have gotten to.”
The Black Katts hold around 15 fundraisers each year to cover expenses. These fundraisers range from collecting aluminum cans and holding raffles, to picking grapes for a vineyard and parking cars at The Winona Historical Society.
Former head coach Roger Riley said over the last four years, with huge cooperation from Minnesota Southeast Technical College, the Black Katts have developed a nice rugby facility which includes an above ground irrigation system and an equipment shed with a combined effort with the Winona State men’s rugby team.
Riley said, “The total cost to the men’s and women’s rugby clubs has probably been about $15,000—all of which we have fundraised.”
Fundraising is vital for the women’s rugby team to cover necessary expenses, but senior fullback Nadia Nassif said there are also other benefits to fundraising.
“While fundraising can be time consuming, our team always finds a way to make them fun,” Nassif said. “Our fundraising activities not only raise us the necessary money to fund ourselves, they act as great team bonding moments and are often good for the community too.”
Riley applied for varsity status for Winona State women’s rugby about three years ago. By becoming a varsity sport, the Black Katts would receive benefits including transportation to away games, arranged lodging, access to athletic trainers, academic advising, small scholarships and facilities at better times.
While some submitted applications are received favorably and with support, some are ignored. Regardless, Riley believes women’s rugby should be a varsity sport at Winona State.
“Women’s collegiate rugby is played at over 300 colleges and universities in the United States,” Riley said. “Women’s rugby helps significantly with the Title IX imbalance that exists in varsity sports for a very low cost.”
Krzewinski said Winona State is compliant with Title IX and to make women’s rugby a varsity sport Winona State would have to add another men’s sport, something Krzewinski said is not financially possible right now.
As far as the Black Katt’s fate, Riley said, “I think that varsity status will take as long as it takes to find the money.”
Nassif said, “We have had multiple players go on to play at the Midwest level and even for USA rugby. To deny such a talented squad the respect of a varsity sport is really upsetting.”
Although the Black Katts are forced to endure the unfavorable effects of being a club sport, Krzewinski and Riley said they could not have achieved three consecutive national finals without the support from student senate, campus administrators, the athletic department and Minnesota Southeast Technical College. In particular, student senate has a “post-season” fund that women’s rugby can apply for if they get to National playoffs.
“The student senate is extremely generous with what they allot the rugby team, and for that we are grateful,” Krzewinski said. “So many teams across the nation would be jealous of how the university is behind us as much as they are.”
