CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois women's rugby coach
Frank Graziano has announced the date for a historic contest that will pit the Panthers against West Chester University of Pennsylvania in the first intercollegiate rugby game between two NCAA schools sanctioning the sport.
The game will be played at EIU's Lakeside Rugby Field in Charleston on Saturday, Sept. 15, with a 1:30 p.m. start. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive a free poster commemorating this historic game. In addition, the game will be televised tape delayed on Consolidated Cable 'Your 13'.
“This is a great event that will showcase both Eastern Illinois and the collegiate rugby programs at both EIU and West Chester,” Graziano stated. “It took a lot of courage and hard work by the EIU administration to help put this contest together and allow us to move forward in promoting the sport of NCAA rugby.”
The Eastern Illinois program was the first NCAA women's rugby program in the country and is currently the only NCAA Division I level squad. It was started in the fall of 1998 with Dr. Scott Crawford, a professor in the EIU physical education department, serving as the first head coach. Graziano was hired the following year and has helped the program thrive while also compiling a 62-16 record in eight years at the school.
Started in 2004, West Chester is the only NCAA Division II women's rugby program in the country. There are two other NCAA sanctioned women's rugby programs playing at the NCAA Division III level – Southern Vermont College and Bowdoin College in Maine.
