Women's Club Rugby Player Named Collegiate All-American

By Kristin Gibson (’06, ‘10M)

“It was my FROG (First Year Orientation Guide) who convinced me to come try Women’s Club Rugby instead of Club Gymnastics,” Steph Goetz recalled. “I had never played it before, but after my first practice…I was in love.”

Goetz is a rising JMU senior, majoring in Kinesiology with a Coaching minor. You’d never guess from her calm demeanor and petite frame that she is a force to be reckoned with on the field in one of the toughest sports on earth. When asked what her favorite thing about the sport of rugby is, she politely replied, “tackling people.”

She is extremely skilled at tackling people, as a matter of fact. This Spring, Goetz was nominated and selected for the USA Rugby Collegiate All-American East Coast Selection Camp, which was actually held at JMU this year in May. Based on her performance at that camp, she was invited to advance to the Elite Camp, which will be held July 18-21 in Colorado. At that camp, final selections will be made for the All-American Team, which will tour next year in Minnesota and France.

Goetz is a leader on the rugby field as well as on campus. She will be the President of Women's Club Rugby next year while also holding the highest level student employee leadership position at UREC. Goetz was hired over a year ago as a Recreation Assistant and has been promoted to Operations Supervisor, and when on duty, is directly responsible for the supervision of all UREC or University Park facilities, programs and student staff.

UPDATE JULY 26, 2013: Goetz has been named a USA Rugby AIG Women's Collegiate All-American. Head coach Martha Daines has invited Goetz to join her Top 40 team to take on Twin City Amazons in August. View photos of Women's Collegiate All-Americans!