American International College is redefining itself. The Yellow Jackets entered the fall 2014 season searching for a new head coach and bidding farewell to teammates who relocated to other DI scholarship programs around the country. The women’s team, which was upgraded from varsity club to full varsity, did eventually find its new coach – Dimitri Efthimiou – who is slowly rebuilding the program with a new ethos.

“When I first came out here, I told all of the players, ‘I am different from your previous coach. I will not be heart-broken if you follow the coach you know,’” Efthimiou explained the exodus of players to Central Washington, Life, and Lindenwood. “I put down a lot of rules – things you expect of a varsity athlete – and told them it was going to be hard for the first four months, but after that, we’d adapt and it’d be great. … When things got tough, some students moved on, and that’s their choice.”

There were so many moving parts during the fall, but AIC wasn’t without its successes. Although the Massachusetts team had to play DI varsity Norwich four times (0-4), the Yellow Jackets defeated Northeast conference mate Army, also varsity, in two close, exciting games. But after the season, more players departed.

When the spring approached, Efthimiou had to turn his squad of 15s players into a 7s team. Only two players had any experience with the faster version of the sport, so the coach focused on skills and fitness, and scheduled a bunch of 7s tournaments, while the players met him with an eagerness to learn.

Turns out, AIC has some pack players who have a knack for 7s. Jess Davis, who is best known for the front-row work with the Eagles, has added new depth to her open-field tackling and passing. Forward captain Muneera Patton and freshman lock Kayla Clark of Olympia, Wash., like the many of their fellow forwards, are transferring the ball 15 meters or more now. And then there’s a pair of freshmen who have brought some finishing flair: Shamira Robles from New York City has been doing great things with ball in hand, and she’s one of the team’s major playmakers. Walk-on Jamirah Barden from New Jersey has made a quick impact and is a very talented wing. Graduate student Christina Gedeon, who is the last remaining founding member alongside Davis, is also a major scoring threat.

AIC really started to put it together last weekend at the Chris Munn 7s. The Yellow Jackets trailed host Norwich 21-17 in the Cup final, but an error on a restart saw the Cadets dot down another try for the more comfortable 26-17 victory. Still, it was the closest, by far, that AIC has come to Norwich this '14-'15 season.

These improvements are important. Yes, the ACRA and CRC 7s tournaments will demand results, but the players who have remained in Springfield, Mass., and are invested in the program’s success needed a confidence boost. They were told that transitions were going to be tough, but worth it in the end, and that’s what’s being realized now.

“When kids were leaving [the program], the ones who were still here heard the rumors, but they saw it differently than the public,” Efthimiou said. “The kids who come to visit now, they’ve heard the rumors, too. But then they meet me and we talk, they come to practices, and they love it. They commit right away. I’m definitely excited for the near future.”

Efthimiou traveled west for his fall 2015 recruits, recently naming Alaska Castro (Sacramento, Calif.) and Summit, Colorado’s Angie Ramos to the incoming class, and forecasting more from California (Danville in particular), Utah and Colorado, as well as a healthy number of regional additions. He also expanded his scope beyond U.S. borders and signed Canada’s Anne-Lauren and Elizabeth Harvey, younger sisters to World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, Magali Harvey. The parties were introduced during the New York 7s. The family was considering moving to Vancouver to train closer to the Canada women’s national team, but the duo decided to pursue their rugby career and education at American International.

Efthimiou is also hopeful that a couple of Ireland 7s national team players will join the program, but assured that his goal was not to find the best players around the world and pile them onto one roster.

“I don’t want 15 international players,” the coach said. “I want to promote USA rugby … and one day I want to coach the USA women’s team. I do want some international players because I definitely think it’s important for the girls to see what’s out there.

“This program is completely different,” Efthimiou added. “There aren’t a lot of singularities like previous years. Everyone’s coming here for a reason, not to fill a roster spot. They’ve all got great work ethic, are willing to work hard, and are fueled by their education. They’re here with purpose.”

AIC is entering a new phase in its evolution, one that includes a solid 7s team, international flavor, and participants invested in the program's success as well as their own.