Journey Sieg Named to Rugby All Star Team

Southwest Minnesota State University sophomore women's rugby player, Journey Sieg, has been named to the Prairie States 7's Select All Star team as selected by the Prairie States Women's Collegiate Rugby Conference as part of the Midwest Division of National Collegiate Rugby (NCR).

Sieg, born in Arizona but raised in the St. Cloud, MN area, joins Libby Peters (2018) as the only two SMSU women's rugby players in program history to earn a spot on the Prairie States 7's Select All Star team, playing alongside the top players in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Nebraska. A Justice Administration and Psychology double major, Sieg started playing rugby at Becker High School in 2020 and traveled internationally to Scotland to play in 2021, coached by previous SMSU women's rugby alumni Whitney Swenson. Sieg joined the SMSU women's rugby club fall of 2024. Although playing scrumhalf at SMSU, in her rugby career she has played every backs position in rugby 7s, 10s, and 15s, showcasing her utility on the pitch.

The SMSU women's rugby club has existed since 2011 and the men's since the 80s but lost its footing over COVID. Both men's and the women's clubs reactivated this year after a 4 year hiatus, with the women's club rejoining the Prairie States Conference and the men's club rejoining the Northern Lights Conference. Not considered a part of NCAA, rugby is considered a club sport at SMSU, governed by National Collegiate Rugby, creating an opportunity for athletes to still play in a multi-state division and compete on a national stage.

The National Collegiate Rugby 2025 Women's All Stars Tournament will take place January 25-26 at Silverbacks park in Atlanta, GA. The tournament creates a unique opportunity for over 650 of the best men’s and women’s players to challenge themselves against elite players from across the country. For more information on National Collegiate Rugby: https://www.ncr.rugby/ Interested in joining SMSU rugby? Contact Joyce Tofte, Head Coach of SMSU Men's and Women's Rugby at: joyce.tofte@smsu.edu