Wisconsin Women's Rugby Football Club
Encyclopedia
The Wisconsin Women's Rugby Football Club (WWRFC) is an amateur Division I women's rugby team in Madison, Wisconsin
. The team is the only Division I women's rugby club in the state.
Founded in 1975, the WWRFC plays competitively in the Wisconsin Rugby Football Union
, a subsidiary of the Midwest Rugby Football Union
and the United States of America Rugby Football Union
. The team is a tax-exempt
non-profit organization
as a member of the Wisconsin United Athletic Club. The team holds all practices and home matches at Yahara Rugby Field.
The WWRFC is closely associated with the Wisconsin Rugby Club, the men's amateur rugby team in Madison, in addition to men's and women's teams at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and area high schools.
The WWRFC has been represented by its current and past players on state, regional and national all-star teams, including:
WWRFC alumnus Kristin Zdanczewicz (currently playing for the Minnesota Valkyries) and Phaidra Knight (currently playing for the New York Women's Rugby Club) played in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup
in Edmonton
, Canada
.
Current WWRFC wing/fullback Sue Hanson played for the 2006 U.S. Women's 7s Developmental Team at the North America and West Indies Rugby Association
(NAWIRA) 7s Tournament in Bridgetown, Barbados, Nov. 11-12, 2006. Kelly Clerkin, Nicole Helmer and Hanson played for the Midwest Senior Women's Thunderbirds that won the National All-Star Championship (NASC) in Boulder, Colorado
, June 9-11, 2006. Clerkin earned the 2006 NASC Most Valuable Player Award for the all-star tournament.
In 2006, the WWRFC finished fourth in the Midwest and 17th overall in the nation. The team traveled to Seattle to play the 16th-ranked Emerald City Mudhens in one of four 2007 USA Rugby Division I Women's Challenge Matches on .
The Wisconsin Women are one of five teams in the Midwest Division Women's League. This league also includes:
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. The team is the only Division I women's rugby club in the state.
Founded in 1975, the WWRFC plays competitively in the Wisconsin Rugby Football Union
Wisconsin Rugby Football Union
The Wisconsin Rugby Football Union is the Local Area Union for Rugby Union teams in the state of Wisconsin. The WRFU is part of the Midwest Rugby Football Union , one of the seven Territorial Area Unions that comprise USA Rugby....
, a subsidiary of the Midwest Rugby Football Union
Midwest Rugby Football Union
The Midwest Rugby Football Union is the Territorial Union for rugby union teams playing in the Midwestern United States. It is one of seven TUs that govern specific regions of USA Rugby...
and the United States of America Rugby Football Union
USA Rugby
USA Rugby is the national governing body for the sport of rugby union in the United States. It is divided into seven territorial Unions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, Southern California, South, and West...
. The team is a tax-exempt
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
as a member of the Wisconsin United Athletic Club. The team holds all practices and home matches at Yahara Rugby Field.
The WWRFC is closely associated with the Wisconsin Rugby Club, the men's amateur rugby team in Madison, in addition to men's and women's teams at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and area high schools.
The WWRFC has been represented by its current and past players on state, regional and national all-star teams, including:
- Wisconsin Under-23 Women's Select-Side Team
- Wisconsin Senior Women's Select-Side Team
- Midwest Women's Under-23 Select-Side Team (Midwest Thunderbirds)
- Midwest Senior Women's 7s Select-Side Team (Midwest Thunderbirds)
- Midwest Senior Women's 15s Select-Side Team (Midwest Thunderbirds)
- U.S. Women's Under-23 National Team (USA Eagles)
- U.S. Women's 7s Developmental Team (USA Eagles)
- U.S. Women's National Team (USA Eagles)
WWRFC alumnus Kristin Zdanczewicz (currently playing for the Minnesota Valkyries) and Phaidra Knight (currently playing for the New York Women's Rugby Club) played in the 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup
2006 Women's Rugby World Cup
The 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup took place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The tournament began on 31 August and ended on 17 September 2006. The 2006 tournament was the third World Cup approved by the IRB, the previous two being held 2002 in Spain and in the Netherlands, in 1998...
in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Current WWRFC wing/fullback Sue Hanson played for the 2006 U.S. Women's 7s Developmental Team at the North America and West Indies Rugby Association
North America and West Indies Rugby Association
The North America Caribbean Rugby Association, NACRA is the governing body of rugby union in North America, the West Indies, and Mexico under the authority of the International Rugby Board . It's predecessor before 2001 was the North America and West Indies Rugby Association NAWIRA...
(NAWIRA) 7s Tournament in Bridgetown, Barbados, Nov. 11-12, 2006. Kelly Clerkin, Nicole Helmer and Hanson played for the Midwest Senior Women's Thunderbirds that won the National All-Star Championship (NASC) in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, June 9-11, 2006. Clerkin earned the 2006 NASC Most Valuable Player Award for the all-star tournament.
In 2006, the WWRFC finished fourth in the Midwest and 17th overall in the nation. The team traveled to Seattle to play the 16th-ranked Emerald City Mudhens in one of four 2007 USA Rugby Division I Women's Challenge Matches on .
External links
- Wisconsin Women's Rugby Football Club Official Website
- Wisconsin Women's Rugby Football Club MySpace Page
The Wisconsin Women are one of five teams in the Midwest Division Women's League. This league also includes: