The women’s rugby team is dead-set on bringing home its first ever national championship. Last year in their inaugural Springs 7s season, the Mavericks cruised into the National Tournament on a 14-game winning streak, but ultimately lost to the United States Coast Guard Academy (USGA) 7-20 in the championship match.
“We went out there and didn’t really know who we’re going to play. We lost [to] the Coast Guard, who were a phenomenal team. We were actually pretty in it, so it was really rough because it wasn’t a blowout,” senior co-captain Emily Canvasser said.
After the loss, the team vowed to get another shot a year later. So far, the team has done everything right to put themselves in position to do just that, posting their best-ever regular season record of 14-1. The team will come into the May 13 National Tournament as a favorite to win it all.
“We fully intend to and have been preparing 365 days for another shot at the 7s National Championship. It was an impressive inaugural 7s season in 2022, but we came up one W short. When we got back from Connecticut last spring, I had each player write future them a letter. They were tasked to write themselves what each of us needed to do to accomplish and have some say in the outcome of the 2023 National Championship. I have those letters and I will be giving them to the team as we hit the road on our way to Texas,” head coach Mackenzie Lewis said.
CMU intentionally plays against Division I competition to prepare themselves for the tough postseason run needed to win a title. In fact, only three of the Mavericks 15 games were against DII teams. The team’s lone loss came at the hands of DI University of Colorado (CU), who CMU already beat twice before then, on April 16, 21-26.
“The DI and DII teams in our Rocky Mountain conference have had to play a seriously competitive and motivated team, and playing such a tough regular season competition only prepares us for our ultimate 2023 goal – National Championship. CSU, AF and CU ended the DI season as #1, #2 and #3. We have beat all three of those teams this spring.”
The Mavericks offense this season has been prolific. CMU scored 22 or more points in 10 of their games. Junior co-captain Ryleigh Blatnik might have been the most valuable offensive player, leading the team in trys- when a player touches the ball down in the endzone for a score- with 15 and also in conversions (34).
Behind her, senior Anna Toney scored at least one try in every weekend tournament and finished second with 10 trys. Canvasser missed some games due to injury this year, but still is tied at third with nine trys, along with junior Zelly Moore and freshman Carly Scheck.
“In 7s, there is a lot of space on the field for us to make something happen. All of us understand our role on the field. Our backs are very speedy and have good endurance during the game to run around the other team and draw little contact. Our forwards are extremely strong and can run through multiple people at once. This leads us to being a selfless team. Nobody cares about if they are the one scoring. We know it takes everyone on the field to score,” Blatnik said.
Blatnik and Canvasser are the epitome of the Mavericks team-oriented focus. The two seem almost telepathic on the pitch.
“We individually got selected as captains, not because we work well together, but individually. Combined, we’re just one single brain cell. We joke about it though. And it’s like one of those things where like, I don’t talk to her on the field. She knows what I’m doing. She doesn’t say anything. I get where she’s going,” Canvasser said.
While their offense may be daunting to go against, the Mavericks take the most pride in their defense. CMU held their opponent under 21 points 14 times, with the one exception being the April 16 loss against CU.
“We always talk about defense. In a 14-minute match where we know we will score; defense is where we need to stay disciplined and continually work to be better at. We have done a pretty decent job of that this spring, as we have outscored opponents 71 trys to 28. When it comes down to it, if we know we will score, and we keep the opponent from scoring, then that’s the recipe for victory,” Lewis said.
Canvasser reflected similar sentiments about the stress the team puts on playing good defense.
“We actually almost never practice offense; it’s always defense. We buy into the idea that defense wins championships, and [Lewis] has done a really good job of making that our sole focus. That flow on offense comes from that trust on defense,” Canvasser said.
CMU will get a chance to prove themselves as the best in the country on May 13-14 in Dallas, Texas during the DII playoffs.
