Scores Week 5 WGR 2025

 Saturday Oct 10th, 2025

Bruisers at DSHA            10am     Brown Deer Park

CMHS at DSHA jv         1130am  Brown Deer Park

Fox Cities at Hamilton   10am       Nashotah Park

WGR 2025 State Details: Location, Schedule, & Sponsorship

  Due to the flooding damage at Hart Park, the 2025 WGR State Championship tournament will take place at Carrol University in Waukesha, Wisconsin.  Normally played under the lights (which Carrol has), the games will be played during the afternoon of Oct 26th, 2025.

The 10/26 State Tournament Match Schedule:

11:00am        7th place

12:30pm        5th Place            

2:00pm          3rd Place

3:30pm          Championship

The 10/18 State Playoff Schedule:  all matches held at Cottage Grove Rugby Complex

    All times at TBD.  Last year matches started at 9am but are referee availability dependent.

Championship Bracket (1st thru 4th Place)

Noe 1 v Oliver 2

Oliver 1 v Noe 2

Consolation Bracket (5th-8th Place)

Noe 3 v Oliver 4

Oliver 3 v Noe 4

Sponsorship Info:

WISCONSIN GIRLS RUGBY STATE TOURNAMENT SPONSORSHIP & AD INFO       

                               

Due Date: All ads to Betsy Wendelberger (WendelbergerE@Gmail.Com) by Monday, October 20th          

Money: All checks made out to Wisconsin Girls Rugby.  

*Anyone who purchased ad space will receive a receipt once payment is received.

Advertisement in tournament brochure:

·      $200  Full Page (7"  X 9 ½")      

·      $100  ½ Page (7" X 4 ½”)

·      $50     ¼ Page (3 ½ " X 4 ½ ")             

·      $25    Business Card (3 1/2 “X 2 ¼ ")

                  

**Black and White camera-ready artwork is preferred, but we are able to assist in ad creation. Please have everyone send artwork to Betsy Wendelberger (WendelbergerE@Gmail.Com) 

 

PARENT ADS: If any parents want to buy ad space to cheer for their daughter/team, they may for the same prices as listed above. Great way to shout out your favorite player/team PLUS all proceeds go to Wisconsin Girls Rugby. This money is used for coaching certification grants, coach/player training, start-up grants for new teams, and many more opportunities to grow the game in our state.

                               

Table space for Collegiate Rugby Recruiters:                

Cost: $50 for a table at the tournament to hand out information and interact with parents and players. You will need to provide a table, the recruitment materials and chairs. Feel free to be creative with handouts and visual appeal. No t-shirt sales please.

Thank you for all your efforts to make this tournament as successful as it has been! We greatly appreciate your support and generosity!

Retirement Celebration: A Quarter Century of Inspiration

 After over a quarter century of coaching rugby with unparalleled success, DSHA's John Klein retired at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.  The 2007 USA Rugby National Coach of the Year and the 2013 Goff Rugby Coach of the Year, serves as an inspiring force in the lives of many, many lives.  

Decades of alumni, coaches, refs, and family supporters are invited to the celebration.  Fill out the interest form here if you want to attend or help plan.  Volunteers are needed for what's shaping up to be a massive, special night on Dec 28th, 2025 in Milwaukee.

Klein's inspiring family journey:

From  the "My Faith" podcast by Milwaukee sportscaster legends Steve "The Homer" True and Tom Pipines:

Standings and Week 5 Schedule

 Jeff Noe Conference

Divine Savior Holy Angels HS 3-0

Madison Furies 3-1

Stevens Points Area HS 1-1

Bruisers 1-2

Green Bay 0-3 (all forfeits)

Tony Oliver Conference

Catholic Memorial HS 3-0

Fox Cities 2-1

DSHA HS jv 1-2

Hamilton 0-3

Sat October 11th, 2025

Fox Cities at Hamilton      10am     Nashotah Park

Bruisers    at DSHA          10am     Brown Deer Park

CMHS      at DSHA jv       12pm     Brown Deer Park

*SPASH    at Green Bay   10am     Barney Williams Field 

     (likely forfeit by GB, who has not played a league match this fall)

WGR Standings, Scores, and Week 4 Schedule (coming!)

Week Four Schedule:

Furies 53 at  Stevens Point 12  Banach Elementary 

DSHA jv 34. at  Fox Cities 40  Greenville Lions Park

Jeff Noe Conference

Divine Savior Holy Angels HS 2-0

Madison Furies 2-1

Stevens Points Area HS 1-2

Bruisers 1-2

Green Bay 0-1

Tony Oliver Conference

Catholic Memorial HS 3-0

DSHA HS jv 1-1

Fox Cities 1-1

Hamilton 0-3

Week 3 Scores:

Fri   Hamilton 14 CMHS 66  430pm  Bill Young Stadium at CMHS

Sat  Bruisers 20 SPASH 27  10am  Banach Elementary School

81,885

 81,885 fans attended the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final today.   Check out the highlights!

"Sophie 2.0"

 Maybe we should all strive to be the "2.0" best versions of ourselves.  Hard not to be inspire by Canada's Sophie de Goede, in her comeback from ACL surgery:  Sophie de Goede

"We Feel Like We're Playing for the Future of ----------- rugby"

 "Fighter versus boxer, bludgeon against rapier, the tale of the tape says it could be one of the all-time classic contests. England will look to bulldoze Canada into the ropes; Canada will aim to box the ears off England in only a few days’ time at the old cabbage patch in West London. It could be one of the great ones."

Check out the excellent analysis and opinion piece from rugby analyst Nic Bishop ahead of the big game. 

Highlights of all the matches can be found here on the Women's World Cup website.

If you want to get pumped, watch the highlights of the semifinal between Canada and New Zealand:

Rugby Pass TV has all the matches available on replay.

Finally, CBS Sports has the rights to the final in the USA and will broadcast the match at 930am on PARAMOUNT+. (you can sign up for a free preview)

One of the many GREAT players to watch is Canada's second row, Sophie De Goede.  A former flyhalf, she plays second row AND still kicks goals for the Maple Leafs.  Her line break and finish against New Zealand is one of the all time most important tries in Canadian rugby history.  She's a reminder that in modern rugby, the number on your back is far less important than the role you play in the match.

Two of our favorite quotes of the tournament have come in the build up to the match:

“Honestly – we’re just excited. It’s already been the biggest and best World Cup yet, so – in that department – it’s job done. As for the pressure – it’s a privilege that everyone thinks there is so much [of it resting] on us! We’ve earned it, so come at us.”   Alex Mathews.

And finally, something for the players and coaches of WGR to consider as they take the field this fall from Sophie De Goede:

“When you think about the broader perspective, we do feel like we’re playing for the future of Canadian rugby, not just women but men as well. We need to drive the sport forward and try to get more profile and more backing, and that only comes with success.

WGR Standings and Week 3 Schedule

 Jeff Noe Conference

Divine Savior Holy Angels HS 2-0

Madison Furies 1-1

Bruisers 1-1

Stevens Point Area HS 0-1

Green Bay 0-1

Tony Oliver Conference

Catholic Memorial HS 2-0

DSHA HS jv 1-1

Fox Cities 1-1

Hamilton 0-2

Week 3 Schedule:

Fri   Hamilton at CMHS  430pm  Bill Young Stadium at CMHS

Sat  Bruisers at SPASH  10am  Banach Elementary School

TBD:  Green Bay forfeited last week after having a bye in week one.  There is some doubt as to whether they will field a viable team this fall. 

WGR Week 2 Matches

 Week 2 Matches coming up:

Sat  Sept 20th, 2025

DSHA JV 5 at Catholic Memorial 89   10am at CMHS (Bill Young Turf Stadium)

Fox Cities 31 at Hamilton HS 10 10am at Nashotah Park

Green Bay (0-0)  at Bruisers (0-1)   12pm at Nashotah Park (Green Bay forfeit)

Furies 0  vs DSHA 80    1130am at CMHS (Bill Young Stadium)

Bye Week:  Stevens Point Area HS (SPASH) (0-1)

Week 1 Standings 2025

 Jeff Noe Conference

Divine Savior Holy Angels HS 1-0

Madison Furies 1-0

Green Bay Banshees 0-0

Stevens Point Area HS 0-1

Bruisers 0-1

Tony Oliver Conference

Catholic Memorial HS 1-0

DSHA HS jv 1-0

Fox Cities 0-1

Hamilton 0-1

WGR Fall Conference Season Opener 2025

 After weeks of practice and months of planning, another era of WGR Girls Rugby begins:

Week 1:  Sept 13th, 2025

9am Madison 45 at Bruisers 0  at Nashotah Park

10am SPASH 0 at DSHA 75 at Brown Deer Park

10am CMHS 64 at Fox Cities 27 at Greenville 

12pm Hamilton 15 at DS jv 24 at Brown Deer Park

Wormen’s Rugby World Cup 2025

 During the opening weekend of the Women’s Rugby World Cup over 3.2 million viewers accessed the BBC coverage of the event.  The live in person attendance record was also shattered in the opening match with 42,723 fans seeing England see off the USA 69-7 in Sunderland, England.  The match broadcast attracted 2.4 million watchers on BBC Channel One in the UK alone.

For further perspective, a little over one hundred years ago, women in the UK were prohibited from taking the Rugby Laws test needed to referee a game.

In 2023 Scottish Referee Hollie Davidson became the first female referee at the u20 Men’s Rugby World Cup.   Then in 2024 she was the first female ref to be part of a Six Nations match.  She went on to referee in the heart of South Africa as their men took on Italy in Bloemfontein.  She refereed the last Women’s Rugby Works Cup Final and is one of the best in the game.

Here are the extended highlights from what many have called the game of the tournament so far.  Much like the epic USA Rugby 7s Bronze Medal, it pitted the Americans against the Aussies.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fHAsdeQzK70&pp=ygUWV29tZW5zIHJpZ2J5IHdvcmtkIGN1cA%3D%3D

Today’s game between the USA and Samoa will determine whether the Eagles make it to the Knockout Stage.   THE GAME IS IN FREE TO AIR CBS AT NOON

State Tournament Venue Damaged in Flooding

Last week’s storms led to flooding and damage across southeastern Wisconsin.  In addition to the families with flooded basements, Hart Park in Wauwatosa suffered significant damage as the nearby river flooded the entire area.   With the turf ripped from its anchoring, the stadium venue will be unavailable all fall leading to a shift in the WGR State Finals Tournament.  League leadership are working on alternative options.  Once source indicated that Cottage Grove, where this year’s semifinals will be held, is unavailable for finals weekend, so the league will need to look elsewhere.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by the storms and flooding.

WGR Fall 15's Schedule 2025

With the Tony Oliver conference having four teams, league admin decided to have pairs of teams in that conference play each other twice in order to get a schedule equivalent to the five-team Noe Conference.  Hamilton will play the new Fox Cities program twice, both at home.   Catholic Memorial HS will play DSHA jv twice.   CMH and Hamilton will only play once in conference play.

 Week 1: Saturday Sept 13th, 2025

SPASH @ DSHA  10am  Brown Deer Park

Hamilton @ DSHA jv 12pm Brown Deer Park

CMHS @ Fox Cities 10am  Greenville Lions Park

Madison Furies @ Bruisers 9am  Nashotah Park

Week 2:  Saturday Sept 20th

Fox Cities @ Hamilton  10am Nashotah Park

Green Bay @ Bruisers 12pm Nashotah Park

DSHA jv @ CMHS 10am Minooka Park

Furies @ DSHA 12pm Minooka Park

Week 3: Saturday Sept 27th

Hamilton @ CMHS 10am Minooka Park

Green Bay @ Madison Furies 10am Cottage Grove Rugby Complex

Bruisers @ SPASH 10am  5400 Walter Street

Week 4: Oct 4th

DSHA @ Green Bay 10am Barney Williams Field

DSHA jv @ Fox Cities 12pm Barney Williams Field

Madison Furies @ SPASH 10am 5400 Walter Street

Week 5: Oct 11th

Fox Cities @ Hamilton 10am  Nashotah Park

Bruisers @ DSHA 10am Brown Deer Park

CMHS @ DSHA jv 12pm Brown Deer Park

SPASH @ Green Bay 10am Barney Williams Field

Week 6: Playoffs Saturday Oct 18th

@Cottage Grove Rugby Complex

Week 7:  State Tournament

Sunday Oct 26th, 2025

Hart Park, Wauwatosa

WGR Fall 2025 Conferences

  With the 2025 WGR Fall Season a few weeks away, our field reporters are excited to leak the tentative conferences for the 15's Fall season.  A few minor shifts include the Bruisers and Furies moving to the Jeff Noe conference and the new Fox Cities girls program joining the Tony Oliver Conference.  Word is the schedule should be released in a few weeks with the hugely successful State Tournament returning to Hart Park in Wauwatosa.

Jeff Noe Conference

Divine Savior Holy Angels HS

Green Bay Banshees

Stevens Point Area HS

Bruisers

Madison Furies

Tony Oliver Conference

Catholic Memorial HS

Hamilton HS

DSHA HS jv

Fox Cities

NCAA WGR College Commitments 2025

We will update this list if we get any more information.  The historical list below includes only NCAA scholarship student-athletes dating back over 25 years.  There are a multitude of  WGR alumni who play or played at the NCR and other collegiate club sports levels, including three from the class of 2025, who also deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments and their commitment to the life of a student-athlete:  

Camarie Brown     Bruisers                Wheeling Jesuit University (NCR D2)

Olivia Haas           Madison Furies     Wheeling Jesuit University (NCR D2)

Riley Vertz            Bruisers                 Aquinas College Women's Rugby (NCR D2)

Congrats as well to the many others who will play club level rugby across the country.  

Of note is the new NCAA program at Lasalle in Philly.  They are bringing in a huge recruiting class of 21 athletes to jumpstart their program's ascension to NCAA competition and Pulaski's Jocelyn Widrig is a part of this historic group.

                   Historical List of Wisconsin-Girls-Rugby (WGR) NCAA Varsity Athletes

WGR Class of 2025

Jocelyn Widrig        Pulaski, Wis.                 Lasalle University            NCAA D1

WGR Class of 2024

Grace Beatty        Sussex Hamilton HS              Lander University                NCAA D2

Meghan Finerty    DSHA HS                              US Naval Academy            NCAA D2

Melanie Sanchez   DSHA HS                             Quinnipiac University         NCAA D1

Scout Spadoni     Stevens Point Area HS            Frostburg St University       NCAA D2

Cecelia SapiOmoa Stowers West Bend YR        Davenport University       NCAA D2

WGR Class of 2023

Mya Alexander          Bruisers                           Lander University          NCAA D2                  

LaJess Jordan            Bruisers (Spring '22 - Spring '23) Frostburg St       NCAA D2

                                   DSHA  (9th - Fall 11th Grade)

Maddie Kosmoski       Catholic Memorial HS       Bowdoin              (NCAA NIRA D3)

Yesenia Morales          DSHA HS                      U.S. Naval Academy      NCAA D1

WGR Class of 2022

Katie Stomma     Catholic Memorial HS                  Bowdoin            (NCAA NIRA D3)

WGR Class of 2021

Aly Cunningham   Catholic Memorial HS                   Sacred Heart         (NCAA NIRA D1)

Maggie Dineen      Divine Savior Holy Angels HS      Queens                 (NCAA NIRA D2)

Emme Ohnmacht   Catholic Memorial HS                   Brown                   (NCAA NIRA D1)

Lea Preuss              Brookfield                                      Queens                  (NCAA NIRA D2)

Lexi Scott              Pulaski HS                                       Lindenwood         (USAR D1 Elite)

Ellie Villnow          Stevens Point Area HS                   Lindenwood         (USAR D1 Elite)

WGR Class of 2020:

Haley Crow             Catholic Memorial HS                 Quinnipiac University      (NCAA NIRA D1)

Alexis Haskins        Catholic Memorial HS                 Quinnipiac University      (NCAA NIRA D1)

Bella Huschitt         Divine Savior Holy Angels HS    Dartmouth University      (NCAA NIRA D1)

Abby Kayser           Divine Savior Holy Angels HS    Dartmouth University      (NCAA NIRA D1)

Gwen Knutson        Brookfield                                    Queens University          (NCAA NIRA D2)

Hannah Pfersch       Hamilton HS                                Quinnipiac University    (NCAA NIRA D1)

Angelina Pieters      Catholic Memorial HS                 Lindenwood University   (USAR  D1 Elite)

WGR Class of 2019

Jenna Klenz                     DSHA                                    Queens

Chanel Lubsey                 Brookfield                             LIU-Post

Makinzie Youngblood     DSHA HS                              Sacred Heart

Stephanie Wilson            CMHS                                    Sacred Heart 

WGR Class of 2018

Madison Black              CMHS                                      U.S. Naval Academy

Allison Koenig              CMHS                                      Quinnipiac

Emily Morris                 Pulaski                                     Lindenwood

WGR Class of 2017

Megan Bird                  Oak Creek                                 Davenport 

Emma Conrad               Fond Du Lac                            Lindenwood

Alyanna Primer             Brookfield                                Lindenwood

Erin Wright                   CMHS                                      Harvard 

WGR Class of 2016

Kelsey Gustafson          CMHS                                      Sacred Heart

Lizzy Walicki               CMHS                                      West Chester U

WGR Class of 2015

Reina Anderson             Brookfield                                Lindenwood

Taylor Bragg Brock       DSHA                                      Lindenwood

Courtney Crouse           Kettle Moraine                          Lindenwood

Lexi Prusheik                Vernon                                     Lindenwood

WGR Class of 2014

Julie Else                      CMHS                                      Norwich U

Rebecca Haight             CMHS                                      Quinnipiac

Maggie Wesolowski      CMHS                                      Quinnipiac

WGR Class of 2013

Lindey Wise                 DSHA                                      Quinnipiac

WGR Class of 2001

Amy Lalko                   DSHA                                      Eastern Illinois

WGR Class of 2000

Katie Plant                    DSHA                                      Eastern Illinois

Allison Urbanski           DSHA                                      Eastern Illinois

WGR Class of 1998

Erin Voelz                    DSHA                                      Eastern Illinois

2026 Girls High School Nationals

 The 2026 Girls National Tournament has announced dates and location.  Two big takeaways from the May 15th-16th event where clubs and school teams will compete on the same days:

  The event returns to Utah for the third time in history and out west for the seventh time.  Hosted at the Regional Athletic Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, teams will be well-taken care of at a large venue.  There has been strong commitment from California, Utah, and Idaho teams for the last several seasons.

  Secondly, the event shifts all teams to games on Friday and Saturday.  It will remain to be seen how this shift affects attendance by single school teams whose student athletes will likely miss additional class time in order to attend.

  Last year's single school bracket lacked a representative from the South for the first time. Coincidentally, the last time the South territory was not represented at Nationals at all was in 2010, when Nationals was held in Sandy, Utah.

Here's a look at the complex:

Interested teams should contact:

Tournament directors: 

Travis Stoddard (travis@utahyouthrugby.org), 

Brent Meier (brent@utahyouthrugby.org)
Application form

Chris Kovac (Idaho) – Chairman
chris.kovac1@gmail.com

Prusmack Award Winner 2025

 WGR Alum Aly Cunningham is being inducted into the U.S. Rugby Foundation Hall of Fame in July  as the 2025 Prusmack Award Winner after a stellar collegiate career at NCAA D1 Sacred Heart University.  She appeared on the With You Podcast to share her story:  

Girls Rugby Summer Camp info

 Just for girls:

Contact Coach Roy Bowler with questions:  rbowler@catholicmemorial.net

June 9-12th and 16-19th, 530-730pm

Girls Nationals 2025 Notes and Records

 News and Notes:

Eagle HS becomes the fourth team in tournament history to repeat as champion, joining the likes of DSHA, Fort Collins, and Fallbrook.

DSHA has medaled in every single-school tournament.

City Honors represented the East and attended their fourth consecutive nationals.  The event is only a national tournament if a variety of regions participate, and City Honors continues to strive to bring rugby to an urban school in the Buffalo area.  As the only East Coast representative, they are essential to the event.  City Honors' participation numbers are strong, and they've added a lot to the event over the years.  In addition to nationals, they toured Italy this year.  

Hamilton competed in division one for the first time and managed to come away with two wins out of three.  A focus on 15's in the spring seems to have paid off for them.

The free livestream through The Rugby Network was again a special feature of the event, allowing family, college recruiters, and fans unable to attend the opportunity to watch and support.  Huge thanks must go out to Madison United Rugby and USA Youth and High School Rugby for facilitating this.  This would not be possible without sponsorship and support.  Having a proper stadium facility with the power and connections for broadcast is sometimes taken for granted.  MUR's willingness and readiness to facilitate this is essential.

In addition, the USA Rugby Referee development program chipped in to support referees for the event. Flying in some of the contingent and supporting them throughout the weekend is an important developmental opportunity for all the players, coaches, and referees.  

Historical Records:

2025 Girls High School Champion: Eagle HS, ID             Location: Madison United Rugby, WI

                Runner-up: Meridian HS, ID

3rd Place: DSHA, WI

2024 Girls High School Champion: Eagle HS, ID             Location: Madison United Rugby, WI

Runner-up: DSHA, WI

                                        3rd Place: Meridian HS, ID

D2: Sussex Hamilton HS, WI

2023 Girls High School Champion: DSHA HS, WI Location: Madison United Rugby, WI

Runner-up: Rocky Mt. HS, ID

3rd place: Columbia Central HS, TN

2022 Single School Champion: DSHA HS, WI Location: Notre Dame College, OH

Runner-up: Summit HS, CO

3rd Place: Eagle HS, ID

D2: Orchard Park, NY

2019 Single School   Champion:  DSHA HS, WI Location:  Infinity Park, CO

  Runner-Up: Catholic Memorial HS, WI

                          3rd Place:  Summit HS, CO

2018 Single School       Champion:  Kahuku HS, HI                        Location:  MTSU, Tennessee

                                       Runner Up:  Catholic Memorial HS, WI  

                                       3rd:  DSHA HS, WI

                                       D2:  Broken Arrow, OK

2017 Single School        Champion:  DSHA HS, WI                           Location:  Elkhart, Ind

                                        Runner Up:  Kahuku HS, HA

                                        3rd:               Orchard Park, NY

                                        D2:                 Oak Creek HS, WI

2016   Single School        Champion:  St Joseph's Academy, OH       Location:  St Charles, MO

                                          2nd:              Summit High School, CO

                                          3rd:              DSHA High School, WI

                                          Div2:            Penn HS, Ind

    Year   Champion               2nd                         3rd                             Location                  D2

2015   Fallbrook, CA           Kent, WA                Danville, CA            Pittsburgh, PA      South Bay, CA

2014   Fallbrook, CA           Amazons, CA          DSHA, WI                Pittsfield, MA      Pleasanton, CA

2013   Fallbrook, CA           Kent, WA                 DSHA, WI                Racine, WI          Fullerton, CA

2012   Fallbrook, CA           Lakewood, OH        DSHA, WI                Palo Alto, CA

2011   Fallbrook, CA           Amazons, CA          DSHA, WI                Sandy, UT

2010   Amazons, CA           Fallbrook, CA          DSHA, WI                Sandy, UT

2009   DSHA, WI                Lakewood, OH        Amazons, CA            Pittsburgh, PA

2008   DSHA, WI                Lakewood, OH        Amazons, CA            Pittsburgh, PA

2007   DSHA, WI                Kent, WA                 Vernon, WI                Milwaukee, WI

2006   DSHA, WI                Kent, WA                 Ft. Collins, CO          Portland, ME

2005   DSHA, WI                Kent, WA                 Vernon, WI               Milwaukee, WI

2004   DSHA, WI                Kettle Moraine, WI   Amazons, CA           Burbank, CA

2003   Amazons, CA           Ft. Collins, CO        Kettle Moraine, WI    Kansas City, MO

2002   Kent, WA                 Haverford, PA         Northshore, WI         Seattle, WA

2001   Ft. Collins, CO         DSHA, WI               Kent, WA                  Ft. Collins, CO

2000   Ft. Collins, CO         DSHA, WI               Wayzata, MN           Milwaukee, WI