2014 Women's College Coach of the Year
2014 Women's College Coach of the Year
Photo courtesy Quinnipiac Rugby
REBECCA CARLSON, QUINNIPIAC
Quinnipiac had a fantastic season this year, but it’s been a steady, intentional climb into the upper echelon of division one. Coach Rebecca Carlson, who has been with the program since its inception, has cultivated this success, which will withstand the ever-changing environment of the women’s college game.
Quinnipiac’s name has become more familiar in recent years as players like Natalie Kosko started playing on national teams, and scholarships lured national age-grade players like Maggie Myles. But Carlson has a diverse background – one that includes a post as USA Rugby’s Emerging Sports Program Manager and an understanding of the NCAA – and knows that the injection of talented players is only a component of success. Carlson was thinking bigger when she entered the 2014 competitive season.
Instead of joining the DI Northeast conference, which contained three other teams, Carlson opted for an independent schedule that included the country’s top varsity and club sides. The Bobcats played teams from every corner of the U.S. – Life in Georgia, BYU in Utah, CWU in Washington – in addition to Norwich, Army, Navy, West Chester, Brown and Indiana.
Arguably the most poignant match occurred during the fall championship semifinals, where the squad fell 35-12 to eventual title-winner Penn State, the litmus test for any team.
It’s incredibly difficult to become an annual DI contender, and something that teams like Penn State, Norwich, Stanford and BYU can claim. Quinnipiac has the tools, and the leader, to join those ranks on a permanent basis, and it’s the vision of coach Carlson that has gotten the program there.
