Women’s rugby takes on Boulder

The MSU Women's Rugby Club celebrated its seniors at the Dobbie Lambert Intramural Fields on Saturday, Oct. 4 during a game against the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) Buffaloes. After an intense match, the Bobcats lost 49-24.

This was the Bobcats’ third game of the 2025-26 season. Despite a rough first half — with CU leading by over 30 points — the Bobcats remained strong in their tackles and momentum.

“This is our first game against [CU] Boulder for the season, and after last week, despite winning, we didn't really have a good game,” said Anneke Kuchenbrod, the forwards captain of the team. “So this week we're just like, OK, we've got to get our tackles down. The first half [we] had to get used to the new team that we were playing, and then [in the] second half, we really got it down.”

The ‘Cats fought hard during the match, gaining 24 points total. MSU scored two tries and one conversion in the second half, keeping the team on the scoreboard.

“This last game against [CU] Boulder didn't go quite how we wanted,” said club President Ellen Olson. “We've had a lot of girls out [with injuries], but we're looking forward to getting back out there. It's been a great season, I think everyone has had a lot of fun.”

The team has had a successful season so far and is currently first in the Western National Collegiate Rugby High Peaks D1 Rugby Conference.

“We're a D1 club team. [A] D1 club for rugby is some of the most competitive rugby that you can find in the U.S., and I don't think people realize the level that we're playing at,” Olson said. “I think, overall, club sports are really unrecognized here. We have a lot of great programs that have really been successful.”

The club has over 40 members and welcomes all skill levels, according to its website. For the players, the sport is more than competition.

“The thing that I love about rugby the most is that it's the same rules for men and women. There's no distinction, no differences, no pads. You can just f-ck each other up at full speed,” Olson said. “It is quite intense. I wake up with a lot of bruises — we all do. We all get f-cked up quite often, but for some reason it's addicting. The adrenaline hits and then it's great. It's very empowering. It makes you really confident.”

The Bobcats face Utah State University (USU) in their next match, on Oct. 18 at Aggie Legacy Field in Logan, UT. Olson said the ‘Cats are planning to keep their heads up and have a successful remainder of the season.

“[USU] will definitely put up a fight,” Olson said. “We beat them last time, we know we can beat them again. We just need to do what we know we can do, and show up and show out, and I know we can do it.”

Beyond the intensity of competition, the team continues to champion inclusivity and hopes to see more support from the campus community.

“We're a very inclusive team and we welcome anybody and no matter your experience. It's just a lot of fun,” Olson said. “We would love people to come watch our games, because we often don't get that much recognition.”

To keep up with the Women's Rugby Club, visit them on Instagram @msuwrugby or visit their website https://msuwrugby.com.