WOMEN'S RUGBY

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - After an immensely successful fall season, and a second Northeast Championship in as many years, the Norwich women's rugby team remains the No. 1 team in the latest Erugbynews.com national poll. 

With teams from the South, West and Pacific territories beginning their league seasons in February, the rankings have changed though no team has broken into the top three spots earned last fall by Norwich, Shippensburg and New Hampshire.

2007 national runner-up UC-Santa Cruz moved into the fourth spot, while Minnesota-Duluth, who won the Midwest championship in the fall, drops to No. 5.  

"This long break in our season is a tough, uphill battle," said NU head coach Austin Hall. "We must use this time wisely and make ourselves stronger. Our mental fitness is of primary concern at the moment and we are upping our intensity level daily. Every match from now until May will require our most focused and most unified performance. We are excited about the challenges that are ahead of us."

The Cadets will be back in action on March 29 to face Dartmouth in the first of 3 preparatory matches before heading to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Elite-8 on April 19 and 20.  For more on the collegiate rugby rankings, visit erugbynews.com.