Although it is freezing and snowy in Millersville, PA, four of Millersville’s Women’s Rugby players had the chance to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to play in the Collegiate Rugby All Stars tournament. The game took place on Jan. 24 in Silverbacks Park. Athletes Cameryn Hockenberry, Bridget Kemerer, Maggie Austin, and Angelica Cressley were all able to take on this opportunity.
Cameryn Hockenberry is a senior studying Sociology with a focus in Criminology and a minor in Gender Studies. Hockenberry has been playing rugby for nine years, four of which were with Millersville. She first got into the sport in middle school; her mother thought she would love it, and a family friend allowed her to join the high school team a year early. This is Hockenberry’s second year making the all-star team and getting the chance to compete in Atlanta.
“It was so fun, both years. You meet so many people and become teammates with women you normally play against in the regular season,” said Hockenberry. “It opens an opportunity for rugby connections and building new friendships,” she added.
Hockenberry also talked about the dynamic of playing in a team made up of women who do not know each other. “Being able to find the flow as a team of women from many different schools always feels really good. You see the team improve throughout the day as players become more familiar with each other,” said Hockenberry.
The next all star Bridget Kemerer is a junior majoring in Psychology. Kemerer previously played soccer collegiately during her freshman year before deciding that she no longer had a passion for the sport. She then transferred to Millersville for her sophomore year. This is only Kemerer’s second year on the team, joining after seeing them at the involvement fair. “I had always wanted to try rugby and since soccer was out of the picture, I decided to go for it,” said Kemerer.
This is Kemerer’s first year as an all-star, “I was recommended for allstars last year as well but didn’t make the Final Cut for the Atlanta trip,” she said. “I was very happy to hear I made it this year,” she added.
Attending the all-star game for the first time can be scary, but the experience outweighs these fears. “Seeing the best of the best was definitely intimidating, but playing a wide variety of girls and getting experience was incredible,” said Kemerer. “I loved getting to know all of the other girls in the conference that made the team as well. I became best friends with my enemies on the field.”
As for Angelica Cressley, she is a freshman studying meteorology. She chose Millersville because of how strong the program is and all the opportunities within the major. Cressley is a rookie this season and has only been playing since the beginning of the fall semester. Her journey to becoming an all-star began with Millersville’s team.
Although she has only been playing for a short amount of time, Cressley was honored to be named to the all-star team. “When I found out I made all-stars I was super excited because in such a short time I have fallen in love with this sport,” said Cressley. “I made some life-long friends and finally got to feel what competitive rugby feels like, I loved every bit of it.”
Lastly, Maggie Austin is a sophomore majoring in Sociology, with a minor in Criminology. Austin has been playing rugby for six years, two of which have been with Millersville. She was inspired to play by her father, who had played in high school and college. Austin has also been an all-star in the past, but was able to return and serve as a captain for the all-star team.
Austin’s experience had the added benefit of getting to serve as a leader. “One of the best parts was being able to be captain and help be a leader,” she said. Similar to her teammates, she also made new friends through her time in Atlanta. “It was the best experience I had, I met so many lifelong friends,” she said. “I will forever be grateful to have been a part of this team.”
