2015 was the first season that necessitated a separate women’s 7s ranking, as programs have really embraced the spring 7s model. Additionally, since tournaments aren’t separated by division but rather “competitive” and “open,” DI and DII colleges (and one small college) are funneled into one list.

It was the ACRA championship that finally forced the issue. Army had defeated Norwich twice en route to the title, and the promotion/relegation system that applies in 15s didn’t translate completely to 7s. In other words, a good 7s team doesn’t necessarily mean a good 15s team. So, Army wasn’t promoted on the traditional Top 20, but the West Pointers are enjoying top three status now on the 7s list.

There is, of course, some exception. Army and Norwich, for example, have played more 7s than list-toppers Penn State and Central Washington; however, for the DI national finalists, with their caliber of athletes, and the host of 7s experience that each squad boasts, we were compelled to base their rank on their body of work.

Both are playing at college 7s championship next weekend – which brings up another caveat. We only included teams that have played or are planning to play 7s seriously. Quinnipiac, for instance, could field a very good 7s team, and the Bobcats did play a couple of charity matches against Harvard and at the Varsity 7s. But Quinnipiac was pretty vocal about its social take on the tournaments and did not (and could not) compete at the ACRA, USA Rugby or CRC championships.

It was tricky business, to say the least, so we included some lengthier explanations to the rankings and the teams themselves. Although it’s late in the season, we’ll update the list after the USA Rugby tournament, and be sure to pick up the list next spring.

Women College 7s Top 20 – May 14, 2015

1. Penn State – With the wide-open spring, PSU played both 15s and 7s, entering two sides in the 7s tournaments. The Nittany Lions won the Big Ten 7s (and won the DI national championship), and that was their ticket to Denver next weekend. Penn State has not been the best 7s team in the past, so placing them atop the list isn’t a given. But we like what we’ve seen so far, and if difference-makers like Meya Bizer, Tess Feury, Elizabeth Cairns and Gabby Cantorna – to name a few – all travel, then PSU has the potential to win two national championships over the course of two weeks (and maybe make it three trophies in May with the CRCs at the end of the month).
2. Central Washington – The spring was all 15s for the Wildcats but the DI runner-up did qualify for 7s nationals through the Oregon State 7s in the fall. A lot has changed since then, but the team has only gotten better. We didn’t get a chance to see much of the dynamism that is Asinate Serevi, Cassidy Meyers, Fina Toetu’u and Ashley Rolsma during the 15s final, so you can bet the team is eager to showcase its field-stretching skills in Denver.
3. Army – The West Pointers were the biggest surprise this spring – but they shouldn’t have been. They showed their hand at the LVI, where the Cadets beat a physical, crisp BYU in overtime. They followed with an almost-win against Norwich at the Varsity 7s, but then snapped the Vermonters’ 63-game unbeaten streak at the ACRA 7s Championship to win the DI title. Nicole Heavirland is the spark on that team, and the guidance of 7s coach Steve Lewis (Old Blue, Northeast ODA) went a long way for a squad that was ready to work.
4. BYU – The Cougars took one week after the 15s post-season ended to get their 7s shape back, and the flying Chanel Johstun certainly helped with that. BYU won the Piper Cup easily to qualify for nationals, and they boast a nice mix of size and speed perfect for 7s. Unfortunately for the LDS school, the Saturday-Sunday format has prohibited the Cougars’ inclusion at nationals.
5. Norwich – The streak ended at 63 games, but it was still an impressive run. The Cadets encountered some problems against Army, which managed to draw Norwich into more contact than typical during the ACRA championship. The team has good, young talent in Ilona Maher and Frankie Sands, who slot in seamlessly alongside their veteran teammates, but the team’s finale was not the game to which we’re accustomed to seeing from Norwich.
6. Life University – The Running Eagles are heading to the CRC 7s, and although the Georgia side has not played any 7s yet, their cast of athletes and program history at the CRCs will ensure they’re well prepared. Nicole Strasko, Kaitlyn Broughton, and Deshel Ferguson are just a few players who will great 7s players.
7. Stanford – The Cardinal has competed at 7s nationals, back when the event was held in the fall. We think having the 7s championship on the back of Stanford’s 15s post-season is going to make a big difference, and they’ve had since mid-April to get in 7s shape. Stanford won the West Coast 7s to get to Denver, and they’ll set free Olivia Bernadel-Huey – one of our favorite freshmen this season. The 15s fullback is pretty electric when she gets more touches on the ball. Nikki Richardson is the general, and Dani McDonald is a great finisher.
8. UVA – Virginia Women’s Rugby has always been well suited to 7s – smaller, unconventional, and scrappy – and like James Madison, the team also has access to quality coaching from nearby NOVA. UVA combines the support of Dana Creager and CJ Hildreth with the three years of nationals experience. Bri Kim is the leader, but keep an eye out for Joy Jefferson and Zoe Schmitt, who like to handle the ball in space. UVA won the NOVA 7s, and tied North Carolina during pool play.
9. California+ – Not entirely sure what to do with Cal. The Golden Bears led the 7s scene in the fall, but the gap has closed now that everyone else is in 7s mode. Cal played two games against Stanford at the West Coast 7s – lost the first one 29-5 and improved with a 20-10 semifinal loss. We say this a lot: Cal has the parts to be a great team, but it’s not syncing just yet. Cal 7s coach Irene Gardner is overseas with the USA 7s, so they’ll need to shape up without her.
10. Notre Dame College – The Falcons won their own qualifier back in April, and then readied for the DII national championship, and won it last weekend. The Ohio side has a good amount of higher-level 7s experience in Danielle Walko-Siua, Hannah Gauthreaux, Karmin Macedo, and Lea Walsh, to name a few players. We’d rank Notre Dame higher if they played more, better 7s competition. Their two wins against Davenport are really the only points of comparison.
11. American International College – The Yellow Jackets started the season with an Atlanta 7s Festival trophy and ended it with a third-place finish at the ACRA 7s Championship. AIC has a lot of forwards who have embraced 7s – Jess Davis chief among them – and gets quality work from freshman Shamira Robles, who is the team’s biggest playmaker. But AIC suffers from depth issues, a deficit that will be remedied next year.
12. Davenport – The Panthers won the DII ACRA 7s Championship last weekend, and did it pretty convincingly. The team had finished 2^nd at the Big Ten 7s and Falcons 7s beforehand. Danielle Ordway and Ashlee Byrge are the oft-mentioned stars.
13. Lindenwood – The Lady Lions bolstered its depth in spring 2015, and they ended up needing it. The team lost Tiana Camous, Dana Olsen, and Davon Thomas during the 7s season, and has had to rely on the leadership of Amanda Divich and newcomers Gio Cruz and Joy Taufa to pick up the slack. The aforementioned players are solid, though, and the team has pushed themselves against sides from Penn State.
14. North Carolina – UNC fluctuates. During the NOVA 7s qualifier (where the team finished 3^rd), UNC lost to James Madison and then rallied to tie UVA. That inconsistency is why there’s distance between it and UVA; that said, the JMU loss was one of UNC’s first of the 7s season. We think they’re better than JMU (which lost 31-7 to UVA in the final), and the Tar Heels have some fantastic finishers out wide. Everything just needs to be working together when they get to Denver.
15. Princeton – The Tigers are always expected to be a good 7s team, and Princeton is coming through in 2015. Emil Signes and Chris Ryan are well versed in the sport, and they’ve helped a very young squad get to Ivy Championship-winning levels. Senior Cat Lambert is the voice of experience, and she helped the team past Brown, twice.
16. Rutgers – The New Jersey team played 7s and 15s in the spring, and won the Tri-State 7s Championship easily. But we haven’t seen what they can do against a stronger field – which is the biggest reason they’re lingering toward the bottom of the lineup. But with Miranda Previte leading the charge, and exciting finishers like Erin Arroyo punching up the lineup, we’re sure they’ll be competitive at nationals.
17. Winona – The Black Katts are relatively new to 7s, but the team’s natural athleticism and skills base have seen them past the Midwest competition with relative ease.
18. Humboldt – To the NorCal team’s surprise, Humboldt’s decent at 7s. Humboldt formed its first-ever 7s squad for the West Coast 7s qualifier and finished second to Stanford. Cal played the Cardinal tougher and showed better 7s form, but we think Humboldt will do well at nationals next weekend.
19. Bloomsburg – The Pennsylvania side won the MARC 7s title after back-to-back wins over Kutztown, and then followed up with a runner-up performance at the DII ACRA 7s Championship.
20. Wayne State College – The Wildcats repeated as NSCRO 7s champs last weekend, and Caitlin Hollinger earned MVP honors once again. Midwest small college really embraced 7s this spring, and Wayne State College was by far the best of them.