Op-Ed: Women's D1 Final Cancelation Is Inexcusable

05.05.2023College Women

The following is an Op-Ed submitted to Goff Rugby Report by Kendall Erickson.

Women's rugby often plays second fiddle to men's rugby, like in most sports, but women's rugby also self-inflicts injury, and this spring’s college D1 playoffs is a prime example.

For the second year in a row the University of Virginia Women's Rugby team has decided not to play in the D1 Spring National final at the last possible minute. Having seen that happen in 2022, USA Rugby and the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) shockingly allowed UVA to compete in the playoffs in 2023, even when they had not committed ahead of time to fulfill their commitment to play every game, including the National final.

On Monday, May 1, just 5 days before the the Women's D1 National Championship final, BYU players and families were informed there will not be a Women's D1 Title game. So after the BYU women’s team players, coaches, and fans booked flights for the May 6 final, UVA announced they would not travel. No replacement team could be found (last year BYU played Virginia Tech and hats off to the Hokies for filling in). How terribly disturbing and pathetic!

I have been involved in rugby for over 30 years as a player, coach and referee, devoting much of my life, time and money to Rugby. I know of the challenges, lack of money, support, and resources faced by Youth, High School and College organizations. I have lived it and found ways on shoestring budgets to show up and play. There is NO excuse for this kind of deplorable action by the University of Virginia and its women's rugby team.

My daughter Alyssa and our family are just one of so many that were ripped off by the University of Virginia. Until people make some noise and say ENOUGH, things will get worse, not better for women's rugby and for rugby in our country overall.

Alyssa has worked her tail off the past decade and sacrificed a lot to play in this Championship game on Saturday. Alyssa is supposed to be in Tonga right now for her Nursing Study abroad program, but she sacrificed her first eight days there, jumped through all kinds of hoops, and spent extra money so she could play in the D1 Women's National Championship on May 6, and then fly to Tonga on the 7th.

Alyssa found a way. Our whole extended family, along with extended families of many BYU players and coaches have also spent thousands of dollars on flights, hotels, etc., to be in Houston this weekend. We were all SO excited to go see our daughters, sisters, cousins play at the highest level.

But Virginia canceled on us. Your actions robbed players and families of so much. You destroyed the hard work of so many BYU Rugby Seniors who now will not get to play their final National Championship game!

The University of Virginia players, coaches, and indeed the entire University, should be ashamed of themselves. I live in Virginia, and male and female players I have coached, have played or play rugby there. My daughter Alyssa played high school rugby with one of the captains of the UVA Women's rugby team (and I know they both would have loved to play against each other). How this was allowed to happen is INEXCUSABLE!

If you have no intention of playing in the D1 National Championship Final, then you should not selfishly play in the D1 playoffs at all

Failure to plan ahead and funding is not an excuse. The University of Virginia not supporting a D1 National Championship finalist candidate women's athletic team enough is not an excuse. Coaches, whether volunteer or paid, not preparing their team to fulfill a commitment to finish the task all the way to the end, is unconscionable. Shame on you! You have set women's rugby back again!

If you have no intention of playing in the D1 National Championship Final, then you should not selfishly play in the D1 playoffs at all. Give other women the opportunity who are willing to front up, commit, and play to the very end.

Further, University of Virginia should be banned from any postseason play for at least the next two years. The decision not to play in the final not only denied the UVA players or another Eastern Regional Women's team a chance to play in a final, but left BYU players without an opponent, and out money, time, and opportunities.

USA Rugby, University of Virginia Women's Rugby, the University of Virginia, the CRAA, and anyone else involved in this unmitigated disaster, get your act together, and stop making excuses which prevent our women student athlete rugby players from competing at the highest level! Actions have consequences! Your actions have hurt many! Stop making pathetic excuses. What will you do to make sure this does not happen for a third year in a row or ever again?

— Disgusted, Kendall Erickson

Columns

Photo Galleries