The CWU Women’s rugby team placed third taking home bronze medals at 2017 USA Rugby 7s Collegiate National Championships in Glendale, Colorado.

“We are very proud to be representing Central Washington on the National 7s stage, as one of the top 12 teams in the country,” head coach Mel Denham told wildcatsports.com.

The team started off the tournament with two wins against Texas A&M University and University of Michigan with a 31-7 and 21-12 victory over both teams before losing a tough match to Life University 17-24. But it didn’t stop there, they went on to play Dartmouth College with a 31-0 victory taking home the bronze.

Senior Cassidy Meyers stood out in the final game with two tries one being the first score on the board for the match and putting up a total of 45 points for the Wildcats for the entirety of the weekend.

“The best part for me is always getting to spend time with my teammates. We really got see our hard work pay off and doing that together is the best feeling,” Junior lock Jenny Johnson said.

This was the teams’ last tournament of the season before they get ready for 15s in the fall.

“We’ll be back [in] August getting ready to prepare for our 15s season in the Fall. Over the summer, I’ll be conditioning and lifting weights and getting my hands on a ball whenever I can,” said Johnson, who will be a senior in the fall.

The team this season has been closer than ever giving the team a special bond that not all teams have but one that is essential to any successful team.

“If I had to use one word it would probably be fun. Even the hard parts, we usually found a way to make it fun and somehow come out laughing,” Johnson said. “I think this season made us all remember why we love rugby, and that helped us find a new purpose getting ready for Nationals this spring.”

The team will be losing six seniors including, Cassidy Meyers, one of the top scorers for the Wildcats.

Returning however is Johnson, junior Ashley Rolsma, sophomore Paige Wyatt and freshmen Suiluana A’au. All players that can help bring the wildcats back to the USA Rugby 7s Collegiate National Championships.

The team will return to the pitch in August preparing for their 15s season which starts in September.