Investing in Champions: Women's Rugby

"Being a woman playing a male-dominated sport that is up and coming can be very difficult," says Maggie Sweeney. "A lot of people are unfamiliar with the sport, and particularly with women playing it. So when anyone offers us support, it means more than you can think."

As Queens Athletics launches Investing In Champions, the annual week of generosity, the appreciation from Sweeney rings truer than ever.

Ten years into its time at Queens, Women's Rugby carries a 33-player roster through 12 fifteens matches and six sevens tournaments across the fall and spring. Head Coach Danny Harlow says the team is built on passion and pride. He describes its culture as one of support, fun, positivity and hard work.

Their matches, the travel required to get there, the resources that allow a coach to build a culture that matters — it all comes with a cost, and donor support eases that burden. The women on the team consistently challenge themselves and grow as both individuals and a team.

Cecilia Scarff '28 learned what the team's culture looks like during her freshman year, after a three-point loss to Brown. With a four-hour bus ride ahead, she expected her teammates to hang their heads the whole way home. Instead, a captain gave everyone 20 minutes to feel sorry for themselves, then told them to start thinking about how to work harder. "After those 20 minutes, the energy on the bus completely changed," Scarff says. "That was when I realized that this experience went far beyond winning and losing."

Evelyn Brown '29, who also serves as VP of finance on the Panhellenic Executive Committee, says she had never felt the kind of support she gets from her teammates before Queens. "I am constantly surrounded by strong women who want to be the best version of themselves but also push me to be the best athlete and person I can be," she says. For Brown, competing ties back to the university's motto, 'Not to be served, but to serve.' "When competing, I feel like I am giving back to my teammates, my coaches, my athletic training staff and everyone who gives so much time to support me as an athlete," she says.

That care carries extra weight in a contact sport. Harlow says investment in athletic training and sports medicine helps athletes "feel cared for and valued, especially in a contact sport like rugby where athletes are required to put their body on the line." Healthy athletes also have longer, more successful playing careers.

Game day has its own tradition, too. After the final whistle, family and friends come onto the field to talk with players and coaches, something Harlow calls a unique rugby experience.

Harlow wants every athlete to leave Queens with the values rugby is known for: teamwork, respect, discipline and sportsmanship. He says more funding means more support staff, better equipment and facilities, and stronger travel options. Those improvements help recruiting and raise standards on and off the pitch.

This year, uniforms, post pads and field flags, hit shields, tackle bags and crash mats, along with team meals and travel for nationals are a top priority for the team. Support for Women's Rugby during Investing In Champions goes deeper than equipment upgrades and fueling stations. As Sweeney says, "You are not only helping to fund us, but are becoming a part of a movement."

You can make your gift and watch the progress toward their $20,000 goal on the team giving page.

Investing In Champions is October 2-9, 2026. Unlock Royals Club benefits with gifts of $100 or more. For questions or information on issuing your own challenge, please reach out to Danielle Evans-Clan, director of athletics advancement, at evanscland@queens.edu.

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Players Mentioned

Evelyn Brown: 5' 1"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Evelyn Brown
: 5' 1"; Sophomore