University of British Columbia. This raises CWU’s national profile and builds important institutional relationships. When the CWU men’s rugby team plays at Witter Rugby Field, at the University of California Berkeley, they join the Cal players afterward in walking down to the football stadium to share food and fellowship, an unmatched gesture of mutual respect and camaraderie. What other CWU sport puts your university on equal footing with the nation’s top public institution. Year after year, CWU has produced finalists for the highest awards in U.S. collegiate rugby—the MA Sorensen and Rudy Scholz awards. Clearly the CWU Athletic Department do not value the national-level success and the outstanding individuals this program continues to develop. With the LA Olympics approaching in 2028, where both men’s and women’s rugby sevens will feature, and with the U.S. hosting the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033, the sport is gaining massive national attention. Rugby is among the fastest-growing sports in America. It is inclusive, team oriented, and deeply community-driven. It is one of the few sports that welcomes all body types, all backgrounds, and identities. In this way, CWU rugby has exemplified excellence, diversity and inclusivity, a shining example of what collegiate athletics should look like, and has set a standard that other universities aspire to. CWU rugby s impact reaches well beyond campus. The program has been instrumental in supporting the growth of the Ellensburg Rugby Club, which now includes over 150 youth players. In 2023 alone, CWU rugby athletes volunteered more than 400 hours to coach kids, run fundraisers, and even host the region s first youth rugby tournament, a true testament to the teams character and commitment to the community. At a time when young people are struggling to find identity, belonging, and direction, CWU rugby players have been role models, mentors, and leaders. By cutting this program, you are directly and negatively impacting the youth of Ellensburg and Kittitas County. For over a decade, CWU has been seen as an aspirational destination for high school rugby players, especially girls and boys in the Pacific Northwest. With the elimination of this pathway, those dreams disappear. So, too, does a valuable exposure to future students who would have chosen CWU for its excellence in both sport and academics. This decision directly affects the lives of current student-athletes. These students chose CWU often over other prestigious universities because of the varsity rugby program. They are dedicated teammates, proud supporters of fellow athletes, and grateful, hard-working individuals who have mutual respect for their strength coaches and athletic trainers. They embody CWU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. They belong here. By cutting their programs you have left these young men and women feeling betrayed, and
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