COLUMBUS, Ohio — Some of the best men’s and women’s rugby teams in the country competed in the USA Rugby 7s Collegiate Championship, including a women’s team from Ohio, in their first time on the national stage.
What You Need To Know
- Ohio Wesleyan Women's Rugby qualified for the USA Rugby 7s Collegiate Championship
- They finished sixth place overall
- In 7s rugby, seven players play for two seven-minute halves
- Ohio Wesleyan's Coach Payne is a seasoned veteran who coached at Ohio State University
Ohio Wesleyan University qualified for the big show after winning their conference in Ohio. They’re led by a seasoned coach who’s been there before. Philip Payne spent nine years coaching at Ohio State University before moving to the smaller private school two years ago.
“It’s been great at Ohio Wesleyan,” he said. “They’re very supportive of our program.”
Payne has recruited some lifelong soccer players to join his team, including standout Madison Cofer. The six-foot junior quickly became a team leader and scoring machine.
“Soccer’s my fall sport and I play rugby in the spring and I love the battling,” Cofer said. “Soccer is a contact sport but you can’t really get ‘into’ it with somebody like in rugby,” she said.
Cofer’s mom was a college volleyball player and her father, Marc, is an MMA fighter.
“Madison wants the physicality, she’s got the tool set to deal with it,” Payne said. “I have others. They’re still in their journey. They haven’t figured it out yet for them, but they’re enjoying the game, nonetheless.”
Payne said that’s the most challenging part for some female players, dealing with the physicality of the game.
“This is the first contact sport any woman has ever played and they have to internalize that, ‘Okay, I’ going to take a hit or I’m going to give a hit,” Payne said. “‘What is that going to do to me?’ They have to overcome that little hesitation.”
But Payne said his female players are “all-in” when it comes to rugby and their team. He said his men’s team is requiring more effort on his part.
“My women’s team is much more serious,” Payne said. “Trying to get Division 3 men to come out and have fun has been a challenge.”
The national tournament was a challenge for his women’s team. In 7s, seven players play for two seven-minute halves. The tournament brought together 122 teams in eight men’s and women’s divisions.
Ohio Wesleyan finished sixth in the small college division.
“We’ll take our loss but we still played good rugby,” Cofer said.
“It’s our first taste of it and this team needs to learn how to win it,” Payne said. “This is a big first step – we’ll be back next year. Let’s see what happens.”