After coming home early from the Beast of the East Tournament, the biggest collegiate rugby tournament in the US, the Stony Brook Women’s Rugby Team defeated all in their path to win the Big Apple Classic Tournament held in NYC.
Nyoka Pierce, a senior, was also presented with the Prestigious Player of the Tournament Award by the Administrating body of the tournament, as she led the Black Widows past rivals Hoftra University 12-0 and then to shut-out RPI University in the Final Match 15-0.
The women’s team has come a long way since the rebuilding year of 2005-2006 when they did not record a win, to this year going undefeated in the regular season of fall 2007 and then placing in the final four of every tournament played in the spring, including the domination of the Big Apple tournament placing first.
“I think our turning point was the Spring Break Tour to Savannah,” said coach Ali Nazir. “The team bonded and developed chemistry when faced with high powered teams such as University of Michigan, and chemistry is what I believe essential for the success of sports teams.”
Looking forward to next year, the Women’s team is readily recruiting for talent; already the Black Widows have been contacted by prospective players from all over the country, and also held strong to the walk-on policy for new athletes looking to try something new, as the program has done for the past twenty years.
Stony Brook will be losing many seniors this year namely, Katherine Maikoksoong, Kelly Giuffre, Natasia Mascol, Nyoka Pierce, Jessica Inoa, Katherine Malagone and Stephanie Hernan. New players are encouraged to come out and play to keep Stony Brook Women’s Rugby on top for years to come.