Lady Ruggers


The Lady Ruggers are Penn State University's Women's Rugby Football Club sports team, established in 1991. They are a Division 1 Elite rugby team who play under USA Rugby, American rugby's governing body. Although they are an official PSU team the women's rugby program at PSU is not funded as a varsity sport and therefore cannot be officially called the "Nittany Lions". The team is part of the Penn State athletic department's "team sports" program and plays other school's varsity teams.
The Rugby Alumni Association, which supports the team, also works with the Penn State's men's rugby team.

Division I National Final Four Appearances (15s)

  • 1993 – 3rd Place
  • 1994 – 3rd Place
  • 1995 – 2nd Place
  • 1996 – 2nd Place
  • 1997 – National Champions
  • 1998 – 2nd Place
  • 2000 – National Champions
  • 2001 – 2nd Place
  • 2002 – 2nd Place
  • 2003 – 3rd Place
  • 2004 – National Champions
  • 2005 – 2nd Place
  • 2006 – 2nd Place
  • 2007 – National Champions
  • 2008 – 2nd Place
  • 2009 – National Champions
  • 2010 – National Champions
  • 2011 – 2nd Place
  • 2012 – National Champions
  • 2013 – National Champions
  • 2014 – National Champions
  • 2015 – National Champions
  • 2016 – National Champions
  • 2017 – National Champions
  • 2018 – lost semifinal game
  • 2019 – lost semifinal game
  • 2020 – cancelled
  • 2021 – did not compete
  • 2022 – lost semifinal game
  • 2022 – withdrew after qualifying for semifinal game
National championship winners
Division I ------
Year and ChampionYear and ChampionYear and ChampionYear and Champion
1991 Air Force1998 Harvard-Radcliffe2005 Stanford2012 Penn State
1992 Boston College1999 Stanford2006 Stanford2013 Penn State
1993 Connecticut2000 Penn State2007 Penn State2014 Penn State
1994 Air Force2001 Chico State 2008 Stanford2015 Penn State
1995 Princeton2002 Air Force2009 Penn StateDiv I Elite established
1996 Princeton2003 Air Force2010 Penn StateDiv I Elite established
1997 Penn State2004 Penn State2011 ArmyDiv I Elite established

Rugby Sevens Collegiate Championships

Collegiate Rugby Championship
2011- 2nd Place
YearChampion
2011Army
2012not held
2013Penn State
2014Penn State
2015Penn State
2016Life University
2017Life University
2018Lindenwood 21–12 Penn State

USA Rugby Sevens Collegiate National Championships
In the first three years, the tournament was held in December, and the location necessitated considerable travel costs. Because of the impact on their programs, strong teams that won bids declined to participate.
YearChampion
2011did not participate
2012did not participate
2013lost Semi-Final to Norwich 17-5 Penn State
2014shifted from fall to spring
2015Penn State
2016Life University
2017Lindenwood
2018Lindenwood 20–0 Penn State

Captains

Captains are selected by team members. To qualify to vote, a player must have played with the team for at least one semester at the time of the vote. Coaching staff have no vote. A captain's term lasts one semester, but she can be reelected multiple times.
  • Fall 2001 - Claudia Braymer '02, Scrumhalf
  • Spring 2002 - Claudia Braymer '02, Scrumhalf
  • Spring 2004 - Kim Magrini '04, Scrumhalf
  • Fall 2004 - Maggie Reed '05, 2nd Row, 8, & Flanker
  • Spring 2005 - Maggie Reed '05, 2nd Row, 8, & Flanker
  • Fall 2005 - Amber Benlian '06, Center
  • Spring 2006 - Amber Benlian '06, Center
  • Fall 2006 - Diana Klein '07, Fullback
  • Spring 2007 - Alison Searle '07, Lock
  • Fall 2007 - Lauren Rosso '09, Outside Center
  • Spring 2008 - Kristen Snyder '09, Hooker
  • Fall 2008 - Annie Zeigler '10, Scrumhalf
  • Spring 2009 - Kristen Snyder '09, Hooker
  • Fall 2009 - Ann Blair '09, Wing
  • Spring 2010 - R. Smyers '10, Lock
  • Fall 2010 - Sadie Anderson '12, Flyhalf
  • Spring 2011 - Kyle Armstrong '12, Lock
  • Fall 2011 - Sadie Anderson '12, Flyhalf
  • ?
  • Spring 2021 - Ellie Fromstein and Mia Lancellotti