POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Vassar College Women's Rugby team open their 2019-20 season on the road just across the Hudson River in New Paltz. The Brewers graduated 8 players from the 2018-19 squad but have 13 players who all took the field last Fall in the National Championship game that finished with Vassar winning their first national title.

"We have not talked about last season and have been focused on working with this group of players and recruiting new squad members," said Head Coach Tony Brown. "Our standards are the same with regard to player performance and this is a good squad we have assembled. We return 7 of our starting back division and have 5 experienced forwards so we have a good foundation as long as we work very hard." 

Up front  Meg Martin, Charlotte Benoit and Catherine Gladstone are expected to lock down the scrum set piece and at Number 8 Halle Hutchinson will step in to fill the slot vacated by Oshana Reich. Reich scored 44 tries in 21 games so she has left big shoes to fill. But Brown made the point that there will be competition for places when he stated, "Although we have probable starters there are a slew of players pushing hard and that can only be good for the program." 

In the backs Jennie To has graduated and her tenacity and game direction will be assumed by Kira Nolan. She will compete with Mia Walsh who missed out all last Fall with an ACL injury. Last year one key to success was that players were able to step in when injuries occurred.Players getting actual playing time in other positions is important.

The first home game for the Vassar Women will be September 28th against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Vassar Farm. Prior to that the team will travel to Siena College in the Albany area.