By Tom Cunningham
For the past three seasons the Quinnipiac women’s rugby team has been one of the most successful collegiate rugby programs in the entire country. Head coach Becky Carlson has been at the helm for the last four seasons, leading the team to an impressive 37-13-1 record. The team has seen success in the national spotlight as well, reaching the national semifinals in 2012 and again last season. Carlson has gotten her team to play some of the top programs in the country including Norwich, Army, Penn State, and Brigham Young University.
Not only has the team been recognized for its play on the field, but some individuals have been recognized for their work as well. Natalie Kosko is not only one of the best players on her team, but one of the most dominant rugby players in the country. Kosko was highlighted in the New Haven Register back in May for her accomplishments on the field, is now a two-time All-American and is the all-time leading scorer in Quinnipiac history with 67 tries totaling 365 points in just three seasons. Kosko led the Bobcats in tries both her freshman and sophomore seasons, but even in an injury-ridden junior campaign Kosko still finished second on the team with 17 tries. Kosko looks to continue her success at the collegiate level in the hopes of making the United States Olympic team and showcasing her skills to the world in Rio de Janeiro in the summer of 2016. She will not be participating on this year’s squad due to her efforts in training for the Olympics.
The Bobcats return 18 of 25 players from last season. Key returning players include Maggie Myles and Megan Johnson. The Bobcats will definitely feel the affects of some of the players leaving. Along with Kosko, players like Shannon Durkin and Elisa Cuellar were mainstays on the Bobcats’ roster and were part of Carlson’s first recruiting class. Aine McKeever, a former Quinnipiac women’s soccer player will also be missed as her soccer skills came in handy proving to be very effective on conversion kicks.
The Bobcats have perhaps their toughest schedule in recent memory this upcoming season with away matches against 2013 National Champion Army and last seasons runner-up Norwich. Quinnipiac will also travel for a late season battle against American International College (AIC) in Springfield, Massachusetts. AIC defeated Quinnipiac in Hamden back in 2013. Quinnipiac will play host to several tough matchups as well, including one against Central Washington, who defeated the Bobcats last season.
The Bobcats have shown signs of improvement in each year under Becky Carlson, and the team expects to take another step forward in 2015. With such a competitive schedule, the Bobcats will certainly be ready to compete for a national championship come December.
