FAIRFIELD, Conn.- Four members of the Queens University of Charlotte women's rugby team achieved All-American honors due to their performances during their 2019 fall season, the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) announced Friday.
 
Freshman Jenna Klenz was named to the first team and juniors Abby Berberich and Abby Tobias, and senior Antares Lance were all honorable mentions. The four represented Queens out of 43 student athletes acknowledged on the NIRA All-America Team.
 
"As a coaching staff, we are certainly proud of the efforts all four of these student-athletes have put forth to represent Queens both on the pitch and in the classroom in our inaugural NIRA season," director of rugby Katie Wurst stated.
 
Klenz, took on the hooker position in the fall, after previously playing in the prop position in high school, and stole two or more balls against the head in defensive scrums in all-but-one of the NIRA regular season matchups. Additionally, she recorded 49 tackles, four steals, two tries, one assist and nine runs over 20-meters on the year. Also, as a freshmen she earned a 4.0 GPA as a pre-med major.
 
Berberich led the team in tackles with a total of 64 at the flanker position, also a new position for her this season. She was team captain and played every minute of each NIRA match, and tallied three steals. In addition, she began refereeing youth rugby matches in the fall to improve her knowledge of the game, as well as her communication skills. The junior earned a 3.75 GPA for the fall semester, while also completing an internship within the kinesiology sports performance lab at Queens. She will return as team captain for her senior year 15s season in the fall.
 
Lance led the team in tries scored with a total of 18, and also contributed 57 tackles, and 10 steals. Her 25 runs over 20-meters scored in the fall also put her at the top in the category within Tier II competition. She finished her career at Queens with a 3.5 GPA and has secured a position as a cardiac nurse for the immediate future.
 
Tobias recorded 40 tackles at the scrumhalf position, along with three assists and eight runs over 20-meters. She managed the composure of a very young QU team competing in their first year of NIRA competition, as nine of the first 15 player positions were underclassmen in the squad's starting line-up, including several impactful substitutions who were also freshmen. All underclassmen benefited from Tobias's leadership, decision-making and exceptional ball distribution during the fall season, and she will be serving as backs captain next fall. The junior earned a 3.8 GPA for the fall semester and also completed a "marking excellence" research project that examined impact location and symptoms related to athletic concussions.       
 
"Beyond individual metrics such as tackles and tries scored, they have certainly left a positive imprint in terms of leadership, being coachable, and bringing love and appreciation for the sport of rugby each and every day," Wurst continued. "We are proud of their efforts, and look forward to next fall season."