FAIRFIELD, Conn.—The historic season continues for the Sacred Heart University women's rugby team as the Pioneers are set to compete in the National Intercollegiate Ruby Association (NIRA) playoffs for the first time in program history. The fourth-seeded Pioneers will travel to the top-seed, Harvard, on Saturday, November 11, at noon.
 
"The goal this year was to reach the semifinals, and I am proud of this team for making that happen," said Head Coach Michelle Reed. "It really has been the effort, reliance, and persistence of the current student-athletes and all the ones that came before. We have been taking steps each year to become a top competitor in NIRA, and as a young team, I am excited to see our performance this weekend in Cambridge."
 
The Matchup:

• SHU finished the regular season with a 5-1 record, the best NIRA record for the Pioneers in program history.
• Harvard earned its top seed with an undefeated NIRA record at 7-0, their first undefeated season in program history for the Crimson.
• The Pioneers and the Crimson have only met twice, Harvard holds a 2-0 series record. The last meeting came in 2021.
• Sacred Heart opened the season with three straight wins. In the opener, the Pioneers took down Army at home, 31-7, followed by another home victory, 22-8, over Brown, and the third came on the road at Mount St. Mary's, 55-5. Quinnipiac snapped the streak in Hamden, 22-17. SHU finished the year with a 14-11 victory over Navy and was awarded a 28-0 forfeit victory over LIU.
• First year Reese Torticill led the Pios offensively with eight tries on the season. Ashley Torres-Brown was second on the team with three tries, and Fabiola Millien-Faustin, Caitlyn Caldon, and Reece Woods each tallied a pair of tries for SHU. Alyssa Cunningham handled the kicking duties, making 11 conversions during the regular season.
• Coach Reed has been at the helm of the Pioneers since the spring of 2015. The following fall would be SHU's first season as a varsity program.

Parking Info at Harvard: 

• Lots open at 10:00 am 
• $20 parking cost 
• Lot it located next to Mignone Field. Additional lots located out back with a short walk to the field.