The Mesa State Women’s Rugby team is looking to continue their dominance in the D-II National Tournament in Calif. April 16.
The Mavericks come off an incredible performance at the Western Regional D-II tournament in Norman, Okla., where they took first place.
Mesa State’s first game pitted them against the Wayne State Warriors, in what turned out to be a tough game. The Mavs won 5-0, but lost team captain Mack Lewis to a knee injury. The ladies followed that win by tromping the University of Texas, 20-8, where everyone stepped up to fill Lewis’ void.
“It sucks that I got hurt, but I would get hurt again any day because they played so good the next game without me,” Lewis said. “They knew they had to pick up the slack and everybody was on fire, we could almost do no wrong.”
Taking the top spot in the regional tournament is a major feat for a program that is only three years old.
“I think it was a big confidence booster for the whole team,” Lewis said. “It showed we can do big things and that we are actually really good.”
The team can’t wait to get to Nationals.
“We are really excited and I think that we are definitely capable of holding our own in California,” freshman Ashley Jereb said. “I’m stoked to see how it turns out.”
Mesa will face Notre Dame, who is still in its first year of women’s rugby competition, in their first round game in the California tournament.

dnarde@mesastate.edu