Allison Mueller/Winonan

New team. Same dream.

With seven new players and first-years and sophomores consistently starting week after week, Winona State University’s women’s rugby has adopted this team motto, generated by sophomore Megan Wolff. Despite the new team, the Black Katts’ goals remain unchanged.

“Our team is very young and almost completely new to rugby,” Wolff said. “But we still have the same dream that the past WSU women’s teams have had – win nationals. It’s a tradition for our team to get to the Final Four and I don’t think it’s going to be stopping any time soon.”

The end is not near for Black Katts as they defeated their first opponent, University of Illinois-Chicago, at home in the National Round of 32 playoffs on Saturday 114-5.

By halftime against the Dragons, the Black Katts were ahead 68-0.

Winona State prepared for playoffs with the Marine Corps, as members put the team through fitness and training sessions.

The Black Katts displayed high scores and competitive play throughout their entire season, which has allowed them to rank second in the nation, post an undefeated season record (6-0), win the Northern Lights Conference and earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

“Undefeated is a great accomplishment, and certainly not an easy one,” head coach Josh Krzewinski said. “Especially doing it five years in a row. It’s never easy, it just shows you how talented these girls are and how hard they work on and off the field to accomplish what they do.”

Junior and first-year player Rachel Hannigan said being ranked second in the nation is an “awesome feeling.”

“I haven’t been on a nationally ranked team before and so I feel grateful to be able to help carry on the legacy that previous players have created for Winona State,” Hannigan said. “We may be number two, but the goal is to be number one by the end of the season.”

The Black Katts started their undefeated season off with a ninth consecutive All Minnesota Tournament Championship in Elk River, Minn. in early September. Winona State shut out all four opponents (St. Cloud State University 48-0, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 67-0, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 45-0 and University of North Dakota 48-0) and were able to acclimate their new players to the sport.

Their home opener followed on Sept. 19 against St. Cloud. The Black Katts won 106-0 and achieved 16 try’s on the day. Katie Dries contributed 13 conversions as top scorers included Wolff, Lanoira Duhart and Bailee Jerger.

A match against league rival Minnesota State University, Mankato followed a week later. The Black Katts defeated the team that had two back-to-back appearances in the National Sweet 16 by a score of 76-5.

The Black Katts wrapped up the first half of league play in the Northern Lights Conference with a brawl against University of Minnesota Duluth. They won 110-7 while Cassie Schultz pitched in 6 try’s to the Black Katt effort along with four try’s from Wolff and two try’s from Lindsey Bucki.

The team faced Duluth again two weeks later and achieved a shutout win 96-0 before moving into a home game against Mankato. Winona State touched down 10 try’s and added five conversions and one penalty kick en route to the 63-0 win against the Mavericks.

To finish off the regular season the Black Katts traveled to St. Cloud with 18 players due to injuries, illnesses and academic conflicts. The undefeated team achieved a 52-0 win to propel themselves into tournament play.

Despite the high performance level

displayed by the Black Katts throughout their season, the wins did not come easily for the team.

Senior and second-year player Kalene Hill said, “We dedicate a lot of time to the team on and off the pitch and work hard at practice. It helps that we have so many natural athletes on the team.”

“The record didn’t come easy for us,” Hannigan added. “We definitely worked hard to achieve the success we have this season. We never had a game where we could slack off – every team comes with a mindset of wanting to beat us so we don’t take any games lightly.”

Krzewinski said as Winona State moves into the playoffs the Black Katts need to keep this mindset and “take each game one at a time.”

“If we overlook someone, we will get beat,” Krzewinski said. “Should everything work our way, we would face a talented Davenport University out of Michigan, who is a varsity/scholarship program. But if we do not play our game leading up to that, it won’t matter.”

Krzewinski said he sees the team moving

into the National Final Four for the fifth consecutive year. Hill said doing this will allow this year’s young team to be a part of the women’s rugby legacy.

“The plan for playoff is to bring the intensity and show everyone that the Black Katts are determined to make it to nationals,” Hill said. “We have been emphasizing the fact that our team is young. The legacy that the Winona State Women’s rugby team has, has been earned by the older players on the team and players who have graduated. We want to be part of that legacy.”

Next up for Winona State is the Sweet 16 and Elite 8, held in Colorado Springs, Colo., against Colorado-Mesa. The women’s rugby team will head into the final rounds of playoffs in pursuit of their dream year after year to win the National Championship.