Women’s rugby is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.
The U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens team’s success in the Olympics and World Series has inspired huge numbers of aspiring players and with a home Women’s World Cup to look forward to in 2033, there’s no better place for young players to be.
For talented young athletes across the globe, the opportunities being created are expansive. From high-performance training to international travel and world-class education, college rugby in the U.S. offers a unique experience that blends athletic ambition with academic excellence. Many NCAA players are now progressing to national team camps, creating a clear pathway from college to international rugby.
At FirstPoint USA, we’ve seen first-hand how many young female players have moved across the Atlantic and taken their rugby careers to the next level. But what’s it really like to play women’s college rugby in America, and how does it differ from playing in the UK?
Ellie-Jane Bowdler’s Experience at SNU
In a recent webinar, we spoke with our client Ellie-Jane Bowdler, freshman rugby player at Southern Nazarene University (SNU) in Oklahoma, about what it’s really like to balance college life, athletics, and academics as a student-athlete.
After seeing an Instagram advert and attending a trial, where she was the only female participant, EJ signed with FirstPoint and began her journey to the U.S.
Ellie-Jane told us that ever since she was young, she has “yearned for America. Every bit about America, American food, American people, American sports. I just have always really wanted to be part of the atmosphere and growth.”
Her arrival in Oklahoma for pre-season was, in her words, “an absolute whirlwind.” Despite the humidity, EJ settled in quickly, with her two coaches and roommate meeting her at the arrivals gate and making it feel like home.
Now fully immersed in her first semester, she is “absolutely loving it so far.”
A Typical Day for a College Rugby Player
College rugby life in the U.S. is both structured and rewarding. Ellie-Jane gave us a detailed look into her day-to-day routine at SNU:
7:30am: Wake up
8:30am: Have breakfast in the cafeteria with teammates. Ellie-Jane tends to have her favourite, a bagel with cream cheese, but she does stress that there are far more exciting options than that!
9am - 11am: Classes fill her mornings, with her kinesiology class followed by her sociology class.
11am - 1pm: Two-hour lunch break, EJ tends to have lunch and study at the university’s “amazing” library. SNU have a great incentive to get student-athletes studying, with the college providing them with $150 each semester to spend at the on-campus Starbucks.
1pm - 2pm: Back to class for an hour.
2pm - 3pm: Another hour break she usually fills with catching up with classmates.
3pm - 4:30pm: EJ and her team will have a film reflection session for about an hour and a half, reviewing game footage from the weekend and discussing what they could have improved on.
4:30pm: Straight to the gym for a strength and conditioning session, where the student-athletes get pushed to their limits. EJ explained to us that the coaches have individual programmes for each player, as well as team sessions.
6:30pm: Evenings are spent refuelling and recovering. EJ has her evening meal with her teammates, which is a buffet-style, so she makes space for her multiple helpings!
7:30pm: Catching up on course work and fitting in some extra studying.
9pm: Bedtime for some much-needed sleep in preparation to do it all over again tomorrow!
Top-Tier Facilities and Support
One of the biggest differences young international players notice when moving to the U.S. is the quality of the facilities and the level of support student-athletes receive. The level of access and investment in athlete welfare is impressive, and something that cannot be compared to the reality in the United Kingdom.
Ellie-Jane states: “I remember having to play club games on awful muddy grounds. But here at SNU, our pitches are insanely immaculate. That’s why I wanted to come to America in the first place, because of the number of resources and the top-tier facilities. Everything is bigger and better, quite literally!”
At SNU, the men’s and women’s rugby programs have two dedicated rugby pitches, one for games and one for training. As well as two recovery rooms equipped with electrical therapy, massage machines, and heat/ice rollers that players can access at any time. The recovery room also have incredible resources such as cold tubs and red-light therapy, and three dedicated physios’ student-athletes can book appointments with at any time.
The SNU campus also hosts two gyms, one open 24/7 and another designed specifically for strength and recovery work.
The Growth of Women’s Rugby in the U.S.
Women’s rugby has been recognised as an NCAA emerging sport since 2015, and the number of programs continues to grow each year.
Thanks to increasing participation, greater investment, and the passion of players, universities such as Lindenwood, Life University, Harvard, Quinnipiac, and Brown have created college programs that pave the way for the next generation of rugby players. These collegiate programs are now key contributors to the U.S. national player pathway, meaning young athletes are training in environments that are professional standard.
As the sport continues to expand, the U.S. is fast becoming one of the most exciting places in the world for female rugby players.
Start YOUR Journey
For young women who love rugby, your talent can take you further than you think. The U.S. offers an incredible environment to study, play, and grow as an athlete.
The opportunities and the experience can be life changing. If you’re serious about rugby and want to combine your sporting ambitions with a world-class education, there’s never been a better time to explore your options in the U.S.
At FirstPoint USA, our expert team can support your journey. To register your interest in pursuing the college rugby pathway in the US, click here.
